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Stork_APR_FC.ai 1 03/04/2014 22:12:50Stork_APR_FC.ai 1 03/04/2014 22:12:50

April – May 2014 Sponsored by Big Bear Bespoke Education

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In this issue: WHO’S WHO 4

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 6

MESSAGE FROM THE BRANCH CO-ORDINATOR 7

MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR UPDATE 8

NEW BABIES 9

BIRTH STORY 11

LOCAL AND NATIONAL UPDATE 15

LOCAL NEWS 35

ACTIVE BABIES AND PARENTS 37

FEEDING YOUR CHILD 42

EASTER ACTIVITIES 46

The information is in this newsletter (NL) is for the use of National Childbirth Trust (NCT) members only in connection with NCT activities and may not be used for any commercial purposes. The views and opinions expressed in this NL are not necessarily those of the NCT. The information contained in this NL should not be reproduced without the editor's consent in writing. The appearance of an advertisement in this NL does not imply endorsement of the company or its products by the 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 NL. The NCT cannot be held liable for loss, damage or injury arising out of goods sold through any advertisements in this newsletter.

VISIONThe NCT wants all parents to have an experience of pregnancy, birth

and early parenthood that enriches their lives and gives them

confidence in being a parent.

MISSIONWe aim to give every parent the

chance to make informed choices.We try to make sure that our

services, activities and membership are fully accessible to everyone.


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Who’s Who Dorking NCT

Branch enquiries: 0844 243 6107

Option 1 - Local Events and General Enquiries Option 2 - Nearly New Sales Option 3 - Newsletter and Advertising Option 4 - Membership Enquiries and Supporters / Volunteering Option 5 - Bra fitting, Valley Cushion and Breastpump hire Option 6 - To book or enquire about an antenatal or postnatal course Option 7 - To speak to an NCT Breastfeeding Counsellor

Local volunteers are parents who take your calls at home. Please be prepared to leave a message. Calls to 0844 numbers cost 5 pence per minute from a BT landline.

There have been a few changes to our email addresses to make it easier for everyone to reach the right person. General Enquiries Dorking_nct.yahoo.co.uk

Membership Enquiries [email protected]

Nearly New Sale Enquiries [email protected]

Advertising Enquiries [email protected]

Newsletter Enquiries [email protected]

Sling/Carrier Library [email protected]

First Aid Courses [email protected]

Website http://www.nct.org.uk/branches/dorking

Facebook Search “Dorking NCT” we have a page and a profile so come and like us and be our friend!

Position Name Contact Branch Co-ordinator Zoe Woodman Dorking_nct.yahoo.co.uk

Parent Support Co-ordinator Lucinda Sharpe 0844 243 6107 option 1

[email protected]

Treasurer Sabina Marshman [email protected]

Membership Co-ordinator Laura Adams 0844 243 6107 option 4

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]






http://www.nct.org.uk/branches/dorking





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PSA Link Laura Adams [email protected]

The above positions are mandatory under the branches charter

Breast Pump Hire/Bra Sales Julia Close (BFC) 01306 898597

Valley Cushion Agent Jude Palmer

Christine Foster 01306 731120

01306 742078

Bumps & Babies VACANT [email protected]

Homebirth Support Aimee Fairhurst & Lucinda

Sharpe [email protected]

Newsletter Editor Lucy Smith [email protected]

Advertising VACANT [email protected]

Nearly New Sale Bookings Gillian 0844 243 6107 option 2

NNS Co-ordinator Pippa Bennett [email protected]

Website coordinator VACANT [email protected]

Social Media (FB & Twitter) VACANT [email protected]

Sling Library Co-ordinator Colleen Moore (Standing

Down) [email protected]

First Aid Co-ordinator Anna Martin (Standing

Down) [email protected]

Antenatal Teachers Christine Foster 01306 742078

Fiona Wills 01737 842226

Jude Palmer 01306 731120

Breastfeeding Counsellor Julia Close 01306 898597












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Letter from the Editor

Wow, we have been very lucky with the weather we have had lately and I hope you have all managed to get out and enjoy the sunshine. I have definitely found feeding the ducks more of a challenge than I thought with the little one eating the bread and never giving any to the ducks.

It is a long way until August but a date for the diary is Sunday 24th August. NCT Dorking are organizing a slot for “Teas on the Green’ on Brockham Green to raise funds for the charity. If anyone would like to help out on the day or donate a cake we would love your help to make it a great success. I am coordinating our effort so simply contact me at [email protected] if you are interested in volunteering for this event.

Lucy x



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Message from the Branch Co-Ordinator We are fully into spring now, I hope you are enjoying the lovely weather getting out and about with your little ones or enjoying it before they arrive :) Welcome to our new volunteer Tammy and thank you to Pippa who is handing over the nearly new sales to Tammy. Pippa has built up a team to help support and run the sales efficiently so it's in a good place for Tammy to take on and run our biggest fundraising effort! We have our annual meeting coming up in May. We are required to hold this as part of the branch charter, to review the year and plan the next, all are welcome to come along to and help us decide on what to focus on etc look out for your invite in the post, it's very much a relaxed informal meeting plenty of time to chat with drinks and nibbles provided. Finally wishing best of luck to James who is running the London marathon on behalf of NCT in April to donate here is the link: https://www.justgiving.com/James-Bettesworth Zoe x

https://www.justgiving.com/James-Bettesworth


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Membership Coordinator Update

Welcome New Members of Dorking NCT

Dorking Raymond Hill and Jodi Raynor Koulla Challis North Holmwood, South Holmwood, and Beare Green Karen and Ian Parker Jay Whitmore and Sarah Ballantyne David and Emer O'Driscoll

Capel and Newdigate Jason and Jenny Tullet Alex Tilley and Gemma Mccutcheon James and Dannii Kennett Brockham Jenny and Gareth Edwards

Thank You For Renewing

Dorking Claire Scott Sarah Dawson Amanda Moss Victoria Walbancke Jo Collis Ockley and Forest Green Lucy Forbes

North Holmwood, South Holmwood and Beare Green Freya Beales Michelle Musgrove Epsom and Leatherhead Alexandra Cook

Change of address / telephone number / email / surname? Please notify NCT head office by emailing [email protected] or go to www.nct.org.uk/get-involved/become-nct-member and click on “My membership” Did you receive e-Stork? e-Stork is our bi-monthly e-newsletter; if you didn’t receive it, chances are we don’t have a current e-mail address on file for you. Send an e-mail to [email protected] and we’ll update our records.


http://www.nct.org.uk/get-involved/become-nct-member



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New Babies Christine’s Class Thursdays 5th September – 17th October + Tues 8th Oct 2013

Sarah & Mark Williams

Baby due 3rd November East Surrey ISAAC JAMES 7th November 7lbs 12oz

Charlie & Dan Rose

Baby due 12th November East Surrey HANNAH JENNIFER SUSAN 13th November 8lbs 9oz

Samantha & Darren Abbott

Baby due 15th November East Surrey JOSH FRASER 18th October 6lbs 11oz

Suzanne Hazeldine & Duncan Gass

Baby due 24th November Royal Surrey CHARLIE VALENTINO GORDON 7th November 5lbs 15oz

El & Simon Davis

Baby due 9th December East Surrey IMOGEN ELSIE 15th December 8lbs 8oz

Caroline & Carl Terrell

Baby due 21st December East Surrey OLIVER JAMES 22nd December 6lbs 12oz


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Birth Story If you would like to share your birth story with other member then please send a copy to [email protected]

As my husband, Dave, and I got into bed at 22.00ish on Tuesday 20th November 2012 we heard an audible “pop”… my waters had broken!! As a Group B Strep (GBS) carrier, this meant I had to go straight into hospital as the risk of infection to the baby increases if the baby is not delivered within 18 hours of the waters breaking and as a carrier I would be given antibiotics during my labour to protect my baby. I had chosen to take the GBS test during my pregnancy as a friend had sadly lost her baby due to complications caused, in part, by a GBS infection. The GBS test is not generally available on the NHS, but it only costs around £35 to buy the test swabs and my midwife was more than happy to do the tests for me between weeks 35-37 of my pregnancy (see www.gbss.org.uk for more info). When we got into the hospital at around 23.0 I was hooked up to the monitor, my labour was clearly not fully established; I was only contracting occasionally (I wasn’t even feeling them at this point) and I was only dilated by 2 cm. As they wanted to deliver the baby within 18 hours of my waters breaking they needed to induce me to get things moving but as I was already dilating they were unable to go for hormone pessaries or gels and the only option was the syntocin drip; therefore I was way beyond being classed as low risk, so my birthing plan of being on the midwife led unit or having a water birth were no longer an option. This did make me wobble – especially when I was moved into a delivery suite and had a cannula put in my hand and I realised this was not at all how I had pictured it! As I shed a tear (or 300!), Dave pointed out


http://www.gbss.org.uk/


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that as my birthing plan was completely out of the window we just needed to go with the flow and accept that what will be will be and once I got into this mind set it helped. At the end of the day the labour\delivery process, albeit an important part, is really not that huge in the bigger picture. So we just had to go with the flow from then on. At 06.00 ish, after zero sleep (and a comedy moment where Dave had tried to sleep on a bean bag on the floor) my contractions had not ramped up on their own accord so I was hooked up to the Syntocin drip and told I could no longer eat anything, so I made Dave get me a sneaky sausage sandwich which I ate whilst no one was looking! Once on the syntocin drip the midwifes like to find a good dose for steady contractions (something like 4-5 contractions in 10 mins) but for me at this level I was only dilating very slowly (I think this is probably acceptable in a normal delivery but again they wanted to speed things up because of the group b strep) so they would increase the dose but then I’d contract too often and they were worried about stressing the baby or me! After a long period of time, the doctors decided they were going to have to just up the dose and deal with it as they needed to get baby out, they increased the dose and I was contracting every minute (1 min on/ 1 min off), at this point I found it difficult to cope with just the gas and air and the TENS machine (I loved that TENS machine!), so I had an epidural. Although I had fought this decision for a long time it was the best thing ever and in hind sight I should have gone for it sooner rather than later! I will never forget the anaesthetist – Chris, he will forever be a Saint to me! After the epidural kicked in and I was more comfortable they continued to increase the drip as much as possible. After 21 hours, I was told if I wasn’t fully dilated it was going to need a c-section, I was examined and was luckily fully dilated and baby was descending, so I was given an hour to help the epidural wear off a bit so I would hopefully stand a better chance of feeling how to push her out.


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When I did start pushing it was really odd as I really had no great sensation due to the epidural but the midwives were great at trying to explain it to me and give me different techniques, they could pick up the contractions on the monitor and would tell me when to push. After about 1.5 hours of pushing and not a great amount of progress they said I could have 3 more contractions to make good progress otherwise I was being moved to theatre for either an assisted delivery (ventouse) or c-section (they wanted me in theatre as they could then quickly transfer from one method to the other) the medical team were called and all turned up in the room, however in those 3 contractions I had made sufficient progress that they thought they could achieve ventouse in the delivery suite, so we went with it. Charlotte was born at 11.13pm – 25 hours after my waters broke – double what the medical staff would have liked! It was the most out of the world experience, I was exhausted, spaced out and totally confused about everything but I was able to feed Charlotte and eat toast! As I was helped into the bath, it was decided that Charlotte should be put onto antibiotics for 48 hours, after 8 failed attempts to insert a cannula into a screaming Charlotte and much deliberation it was decided that as I had received enough antibiotics during the labour they were happy for her to just stay in for 24 hours with increased observation, this meant she was checked every 2 hour (temperature, heart rate and vital signs) increasing to every 4 hours after a period of time. I was grateful for this as it meant I was visited frequently and could get as much help and advice on breastfeeding as possible (although I did get confusing/conflicting advice and it wasn’t until I visited the Breast Feeding Clinic, a week later, at the SureStart centre that I felt like I was making progress!) but all the staff at the hospital were amazing and I can’t fault anyone or anything. Sixty hours after going into hospital we were finally able to bring Charlotte


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home and start our new exciting (and scary) life as a family Emma, Dave and Charlotte


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Local and National Update

National News NCT response to 4Children's research on child-care Released on: 12 March 2014

In response to 4Children's research on child-care, Elizabeth Duff, Senior Policy Adviser, NCT, says: “NCT welcomes the 4Children research which highlights again the need to help parents with the cost of child-care. In particular NCT supports its call for access to affordable, quality child-care, suitable for younger children, from the time that parents must return to work after parental leave.”

Mother labelled 'tramp' for breastfeeding her baby in public Released on: 11 March 2014

A mother from Staffordshire has launched a breastfeeding campaign after being called a "tramp" on Facebook for feeding her baby in public Belinda Phipps, NCT, CEO said:

“This behaviour is dreadful. For good reason mothers feeding their babies are protected by law. The Equality Act, of October 2010, states that it is unlawful for mums to be discriminated against or treated unfavorably because they are breastfeeding in England, Wales or Scotland. Whether formula feeding or breastfeeding, it is important that mums are able to feed their baby whenever and wherever they need it. Any mother who chooses to breastfeed her baby should have the right to do so without harassment.”


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Non-invasive Prenatal Testing to become primary screening method for chromosomal abnormalities Released on: 04 March 2014

New paper published by RCOG reports that a new, non-invasive Prenatal Testing is likely to become a primary screening method for chromosomal abnormalities in pregnancy and could greatly reduce invasive testing and associated risks. Elizabeth Duff, Senior Policy Adviser, NCT said:

“The potential for new and, above all, non-invasive approaches to screening is an encouraging step forward. It is vital however that these tests remain an option for parents-to-be, and that they are kept well informed of their right to refuse if they wish.

“Whatever the result, it should never be assumed by health professionals that expectant parents will decide on a particular course of action; the decision is theirs and should be respected and supported. Personalised support and an ongoing relationship with a skilled midwife are particularly important for women in this situation.” NCT response to IPPR's 'Childcare - minding the gap' report Released on: 21 February 2014

Commenting on IPPR's 'Childcare - minding the gap' report, NCT's chief executive Belinda Phipps said: 'We know from our members that many parents of very young of children want or have to return to work yet struggle to find suitable child-care. NCT would like to see more done to support these parents, especially those of children under two who want to work but are not eligible for any government support with the costs'


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NCT calls on the government to improve UK tongue-tie services Released on: 18 February 2014

NCT has written to Health Minister Dr Dan Poulter MP calling on him to improve the diagnosis and treatment of tongue-tie in the UK, saving the NHS money and parents and babies stress and anxiety. NCT has written to Health Minister Dr Dan Poulter MP calling on him to improve the diagnosis and treatment of tongue-tie in the UK, saving the NHS money and parents and babies stress and anxiety.

The parenting charity is concerned that a diagnosis of tongue-tie is often taking weeks or even months and the problem is not being picked up by health professionals. This can lead to babies not being able to feed properly and prevent them from gaining weight in their crucial first weeks. NCT wants to see more professionals trained to recognise and deal with the problem as current NHS treatment is often patchy and sometimes non-existent. NCT is also calling for NICE guidelines, published in 2005, to be updated to ensure that tongue-tie services are commissioned across the UK.

Belinda Phipps, Chief Executive, NCT says: “Tongue-tie can be very stressful for parents and prevent babies from gaining weight. It occurs in babies’ vital first weeks and can leave them desperately hungry, unhappy and frustrated. Parents are often sick with worry as a result. “We want to see earlier treatment and diagnosis which would save a lot of misery for parents and babies and save the NHS money.”

Tongue-tie affects some babies when the frenulum – the piece of skin attaching the tongue to the floor of the mouth - is positioned too close to the tongue tip. This means the


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tongue can’t extend very far, and may not be able to move up and down or side-to-side as it would otherwise do.

Treatment is usually quick and simple. Specially trained midwives or infant feeding specialists can snip straightforward ties with scissors. Babies often don’t even need an anaesthetic and have been known to sleep through the procedure. Treating the problem early is cheap whereas looking after babies who are underweight and mothers who are in pain is costly. Soaring house prices mean 43% of London parents delay starting a family Released on: 10 February 2014

43% of parents living in London say they delayed or considered delaying starting a family because of the rising cost of housing in the capital, a new survey by the UK’s largest parent charity, NCT, reveals. Parents living in London listed the cost of their rent or mortgage as their biggest financial concern overall, with 40% listing it top and 61% listing it in their top two concerns, compared to 34% and 55% of parents nationally.

73% of London parents were worried that they will have to cut back on essentials to meet the rising cost of their rent or mortgage.

Of these, 77% said they would choose to cut back on energy, whilst 71% said they would to cut back on food.

NCT CEO, Belinda Phipps said:

“Our research shows that high housing prices in London are forcing parents to delay starting a family, and is


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evidently putting huge pressure on parents and parents-to-be. As a result, many parents are waiting longer than they would like to have a baby.

“To help ease financial pressure on mums and dads in London, NCT would like to see maternity and paternity pay being kept in line with the rate of inflation, giving parents more options and flexibility when it comes to raising a family.”

About the survey:

Survation interviewed 1,006 parents of children aged three and under in the United Kingdom, from 24th - 28th January 2014, on behalf of the NCT. Survation is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. A full copy of the report, Early Parenthood Survey, can be found here.

New parents concerned for their children’s health after cutting down on heating due to rising energy costs Released on: 03 February 2014

A new survey by NCT has found that 57% of UK parents at home on maternity or paternity leave are turning their heating down or switching it off because of concerns about the rising cost of energy bills. As a result 70% of those parents are concerned for the health of their baby or toddler.

66% of parents surveyed said that the rising cost of energy meant they had been under pressure to cut back on other essentials, rising to 77% among single parents. 85% of those under pressure to cut back on something said they had considered cutting back on food to pay for

http://www.nct.org.uk/sites/default/files/related_documents/Early-Parenthood-Survey-Report.pdf


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energy bills.

62% of parents generally reported feeling under pressure to cut back on energy due to the cost of bills. Overall 58% of all parents surveyed listed energy bills among their top two financial concerns.

NCT, the UK’s largest parent charity, commissioned the survey as part of Cold Homes Week to help raise awareness of the impact of rising energy prices on parents with young children.

NCT’s CEO, Belinda Phipps said:

“Our research shows that parents are having to choose between buying food or keeping their babies and toddlers warm to protect their health.

“Parents with young children are often at home during the winter and coping with energy bills can be a struggle, especially if they are on a tight budget.

“NCT wants to see parents with children under five, and living in poverty, automatically qualify for the Warm Homes Discount Scheme. The government rightly helps pensioners in this way, and we need the parity for parents at home with young children who are at risk of fuel poverty.”

Recent research on the effects that a cold home can have on babies and young children suggests that long term exposure to cold homes can affect weight gain, increase hospital admission rates and increase the severity and frequency of asthmatic symptoms.[1]

A list of NCT top tips for keeping your baby warm can be found on the NCT website and is listed below. A copy of


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the Early Parenthood Survey is available on request.

Other findings include: • 79% of 18-24 year old parents with young children said they are worried they may have to cut back on essentials to meet the cost of rising energy bills

About the survey: Survation interviewed 1,006 parents of children aged three and under in the United Kingdom, from 24th - 28th January 2014, on behalf of the NCT. Survation is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. A full copy of the report, Early Parenthood Survey, is available on request. More information can be found on the Survation website. Here are our top ten useful tips:

1. Use your body - during the early weeks and months, one of the best ways to keep your baby warm and comfortable is to keep them close to you. A sling is a great option for this.

2. Heat one room at a time, if you can - bedrooms don’t need to be as warm as living rooms if they’re only for sleeping. With light bedding, 16˚C in the bedroom is comfortable and warm enough for babies.

3. Use baby sleeping bags - these fit around the body but leave your baby’s arms and head free. They are a great way to ensure your baby isn't too hot or cold. NCT Nearly New Sales are a great place to find second-hand items like this.

4. Head out to children’s centres or parent and baby drop-in groups - this can save you keeping the heating on at home, and give you and your baby time to socialise. Find out what local activities there are in your area.

http://survation.com/2014/02/nct-parents-survey/

http://www.nct.org.uk/parenting/life-your-newborn

http://www.nct.org.uk/parenting/babywearing-and-how-choose-sling

http://www.nct.org.uk/parenting/your-babys-sleep

http://www.nct.org.uk/branches/events/nearly-new-sales

http://www.nct.org.uk/branches/events/nearly-new-sales

http://www.nct.org.uk/branches


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5. Add a good plastic film inside your windows - this is a simple DIY job and helps to reduce draughts and condensation, especially if you don’t have double glazing.

6. Draught proof around your doors and letterbox - this can be relatively cheap and easy, and can make rooms more comfortable very quickly. Solid fuel and gas fires do need some ventilation, however.

7. Use thermostatic radiator valves - if you have central heating, these are relatively low cost and allow you to heat only the room(s) you are using.

8. Insulate your loft, if you have one - this is one of the most effective ways to cut energy bills. You can sometimes get free or low cost insulation or help with costs.

9. Check which energy grants you're entitled to - many families will qualify as ‘fuel poor’ when they take maternity leave. Find out if you're entitled to any of the grants available. If you're renting, ask your landlord/landlady about this.

10. Try a Green Deal assessment - you can get free advice by asking for a Green Deal assessment. You don’t have to take up the offers, but it may help to give you an idea of costs and savings to your family finances.

https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits/heating

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Take-action/Find-a-grant



Stork_APR_CentreFolds.indd 1 03/04/2014 21:55:28

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NCT response to the PAC report on Maternity services in England Released on: 31 January 2014

In response to the PAC report on Maternity services in England, Belinda Phipps, Chief Executive, NCT, says: “We welcome this report which highlights a number of problems with maternity services that NCT has been campaigning on for years.

“Despite some progress, there are still not enough midwives to give women the level of care they need. As well as having more midwives we also need to use them more effectively. Many problems raised in the report could be addressed with better continuity of care, where a woman’s care throughout her pregnancy is provided by a midwife she knows and trusts.

“Our research shows only a quarter of all women want to give birth in an obstetric unit yet 87% end up doing so. It’s unacceptable that women are still not given enough choice over where they give birth.” NCT response to the Friends and Family Test data on Maternity Services Released on: 30 January 2014

In response to the Friends and Family Test data on Maternity Services, Belinda Phipps, Chief Executive, NCT, says: “Listening to women and their partners has driven


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maternity improvements in the past and must form the basis for any future system. This survey provides a better process for gathering feedback but progress will only be possible if services act on the results.” New research on maternity services for women in Scotland released Released on: 28 January 2014

A survey of new mothers in Scotland has found high overall ratings for the maternity care they experienced, but continuity of care is still lacking. Senior Policy Adviser, Elizabeth Duff said:

“It is encouraging to see such a high proportion of women receiving ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ postnatal care in Scotland, but the findings highlight the need for better continuity of care.

“Scotland’s maternity policy confirms that ‘all women have 1:1 care from a midwife when in established labour’, yet 25% of women reported they were left alone during labour. A lack of midwifery presence can lead to problems around the birth. It is notable that, while many women were able to choose comfortable positions, 31% gave birth with their legs in stirrups – in many cases unnecessarily.

“It is disappointing that 44% of women said they did not get enough information to help them decide where to have their baby. Out-of–hospital births can be a positive experience and a cost-effective option, yet only 23% said they were given the choice of a midwife-led unit or birth centre, and just 25% offered the choice of home birth. This could mean these services are not accessible to women.”


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Local News Nearly new sale

Our next Nearly New Sale is Saturday 12th April at North Holmwood Village Hall and we are looking for volunteers! You can volunteer for as short or as long as you are able, bake a cake to be sold at the sale or even help out with bag stuffing at a mum’s night in! Plus, if you volunteer – you get early entry to bag a few bargains before everyone else arrives!

Any help would be greatly appreciated – so please let us know if you are interested!

It’s a great event that raises money for lots of great things in the Dorking area including providing a service for new and expectant parents, supporting new parents in the local area (and nationally), funding helplines including the breastfeeding helpline and training antenatal teachers and breast feeding counsellors and more.

Here are a few details:

Help at the sale

Help is needed between 8am and 1pm (you choose your hours)

There are various roles available including tea/cake table, large items, or taking money at the door

We particularly need help between 11-1 when we are usually light on volunteers!

Remember if you bake cakes, help on the day or at the bag stuffing you get to shop before NCT members (10am) or the public (10:15am)

If you want to sell large items and you volunteer on the day for a minimum of 3 hours, you can sell them commission free. Distribute posters and leaflets - in shop windows, on notice boards, at preschools, schools, playgroups, in your car and anywhere else you can think of – if you are


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interested, we’ll send you some posters! Mums' Night In and Bag Stuffing – Monday 7th April (Pippa's house, Capel) – join us for a chat and some nibbles whilst putting leaflets and samples into the bags that are handed out at the sale. Email us for details. Make a cake (or 2) for the sale - homemade cakes are a great way for us to raise money at the sale! Cakes can be dropped off at the village hall on the day of the sale by 9.15am (arrangements can be made if you are unable to drop off on the morning)

Spread the word!

Please consider asking friends, eg your antenatal group, and forwarding my contact details to them. Our Nearly New Sales can only take place with the help of volunteers

Finally, we also have quite a few branch volunteering opportunities available – so let us know if you are looking to become more involved with the NCT. If you would like to help organise the Nearly New Sales (only takes a few hours a month!) then please let us know!

We hope to hear from you!

Fire Station Visit 20 children attended the February half-term visit to Dorking fire station on 21 February. They had great fun spraying the hose at the new model house in order to “knock down” the flames and put out the fire. They were also able to have a quick look in the fire engine. We were very grateful to the watch for sparing us the time as they were still very busy with all the problems caused by the flooding. We also discussed the importance of having a smoke alarm fitted in homes. Donations from the visit raised £23.50 for the Fire Fighters Charity and £26.50 for the NCT.


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Active Babies and Parents Walk to school week Why walk to school?

See more at: http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/walk-with-us/walk-to-school/parents#sthash.lLeOdPbK.dpuf

Saves money

riving saves, on average, £400 per year1

One in five cars in the morning rush hour is on the school run.2

Develops your children’s independence, road safety and social skills

Walking can help develop independence. Children will learn road safety skills which will help them with the journey to secondary school later in life

Children who walk to school have better knowledge of their local area and get to spend more time with their class mates: In a study by Living Streets, 84 per cent of the children who walked to school often meet up with classmates on the way to school, while only 66 per cent of those who were driven to school had the opportunity to do so

Walking to school improves children’s social development in future years.5

http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/walk-with-us/walk-to-school/parents#sthash.lLeOdPbK.dpuf

http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/walk-with-us/walk-to-school/parents#sthash.lLeOdPbK.dpuf


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It’s healthy

Children need at least 60 minutes (1 hour) of physical activity every day.

The journey to and from school is an ideal time for children and other family members to be active.

According to the NHS, 9 out of 10 children could grow up with life threatening diseases such as cancer, Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease partly because they aren’t getting enough exercise

Children who generally travel to and from school by car, bus or other vehicle are more likely to be overweight at age five than those who walk or cycle.

It’s better for the environment

People in cars regularly suffer three times as much pollution as pedestrians because they are sitting in the line of the exhaust fumes from the car in front

One person switching five journeys of fewer than 2 km a week from the car to walking would reduce their carbon footprint by 86 kg a year.


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Cycling - with Bump to Four!

Getting pregnant does not mean your cycling life is over. Kathi Branse-Instone reports how her growing family just kept going... I have always enjoyed cycling, not as a sport for its own sake but as a convenient way to get to school, work, do the shopping or go find a tea-shop at the week-end. The first bike we ever bought jointly, just after we got married, was a semi-recumbent tandem called Pino. It is rather unusual in that the person in front pedals in a recumbent position and the person behind (in an upright position) pedals and steers. It is great fun to ride and certainly a head-turner. This makes it very safe as vehicles tend to give you a much wider berth thinking “Oh my god WHAT is that?!” We chose this bike as it enables us to be together and talk whilst both having a view (on a standard tandem the person behind always looses out). However, when I got pregnant soon after, the tandem turned out to be a rather good pregnancy bike as well: not only is the suspended seat much more comfortable for the pelvis, being on a tandem also enabled me to take a break from pedalling if I wanted to, whilst still being chauffeured by my dear husband! However, I did manage to cycle all the way through the pregnancy and my consultant was rather concerned when I turned up on my bike for a check-up and was found to be 3cm dilated, without having had any contractions. When I saw a different consultant in my second pregnancy he commented on this too and joked (?) that the cycling must have helped to bring on labour - who knows, but I am convinced it helped me to keep fit and have a short and uncomplicated birth. Once the baby had arrived I found that having him in a well-fitting sling (such as the Wilkinet - pictured left),


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strapped to my front was an excellent solution. It felt like having a cuddle whilst riding a bicycle, and as he was so close to me it was a very safe option for him too. This solution only worked for about three months or so, until he started to get too long. At the time we were at a loss about what to do next as he was too little for a proper child’s bike seat. It was winter time though and I have to admit we are fair weather cyclists. However, now, with our third baby, we have a Babyschale (made by Weber , from Germany, translates as ‘baby shell’), which is a hard foam mould that straps into a child trailer. To be able to sit in the trailer without any support, the child needs to sit up really well, so a baby-seat is ideal to tide you over until the child is about one or so. Our trailer is a two-seater and the baby seat only takes up one space, so there is still room for another child (and the shopping if you go for a trailer such as the Bluebird which has a solid base). If you only have one child to transport, a child seat that goes on the luggage rack is fine, these are suitable from about age one. The only trouble with that is that you either need to fit bars for front panniers or have a bar bag (I have both), as with a child there always comes the seemingly endless number of things you need to take with you! Alternatively, you can acquire a trailer, which opens up all sorts of additional luggage transport options. It also means you can transport three children all in one go - which will certainly help to shed those extra pregnancy pounds and keep you fit (When I ride a bike all on my own now it rather feels like I’m flying). Riding with a trailer is much safer too. As with a strange bike like the Pino, drivers give you much more space on the road, most people slow right down and sometimes throw in a friendly wave for good measure. I am certainly a bit slower but I still manage to overtake little old ladies on the bike!


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When you get to your destination, trailers have another advantage over bike seats as many can be easily converted into a stroller when detached from the bike, and if it has a solid base it makes an excellent shopping carrier as well. However my husband has seen a special rear rack that holds a child seat as well as a buggy, but very unhelpfully he can’t remember where he saw it! There comes a point when your toddler may want to have a go at cycling himself. Tricycles are often very hard work for little legs. We opted for the original wooden LIKEaBIKE (also made in Germany), suitable from about age two, which is a toddler-sized bike without pedals. The idea behind it is that they learn to steer and balance on a lightweight bicycle before they learn to co-ordinate this with pedalling. When we got ours there was only one on the market, however, the design has taken off since and not only are there now more models in the LIKEaBIKE stable but there are now other competitors as well. Our LIKEaBIKE really came into its own when I had my second baby two years after the first, because it meant that I could go out with the baby in the buggy whilst my toddler was happily riding his bike. No need for a buggy board, less weight to push for me, and my toddler was exercising and learning to ride into the bargain. Aged three he got rather good and speedy so we decided it was time for a bike with brakes (although surprisingly he never had any real spills). This is when we came across the RennRad. This is a first bike which is designed to be ridden with or without pedals. Their slogan is “from RUNNINGbike to runningBIKE”, basically you learn to run with it first, then you learn to ride it. With an alloy frame it is not too heavy (but heavier than the wooden LIKEaBIKE), built with lightweight child-sized components, with the look and feel of a proper bike. After the child gets used to steering and balancing his new machine, just put


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on the pedals (done within minutes) and he’s off... Our oldest has been cycling properly since age four, with never a stabiliser in sight. As we’re trying to prepare him to pass on his mean silver machine to his younger brother (who is using the LIKEaBIKE at the moment), we are looking ahead to our next bicycle purchase. This is likely to come from Islabikes, British makers of quality, lightweight bikes with child-sized components and no pointless gimmicks. They also make a bike without pedals (pictured). These bikes get very good write-ups in the cycling and mainstream press. At around age four other avenues open such as trailerbikes or in our case adapting the recumbent part of the Pino to little legs, the opportunities seem endless... So in conclusion. Having a baby does not mean you have to swap your bike for a pram and a second car to cart the pram...

Feeding your child Since having my son I have received numerous advice on what is the best types of food for him, what the benefits of breastfeeding are and all of the different types of weaning are. I have spoken to lots of people and learnt from my own experiences for what worked best for us. I would love to put together a set of stories from local mums and dads about their own experiences. I want this to be accessible to all mums, so please get in touch with your stories of breastfeeding and your children’s favourite recipes from babies to toddlers. I will start by sharing a recipe that my son loves.


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Banana and Date Loaf

Ingredients

1 cup of all purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon of baking powder 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda 3 ripe bananas (mashed with a fork) 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract 2 tablespoons of honey (omit it baby is under 1) 1 egg 4 tablespoons of whole milk 70g of pitted dates (roughly chopped into small pieces)

Method

Preheat oven to 180c or 350f (gas mark 4)

Sieve flour, baking powder and soda into a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, beat together the butter, honey and vanilla extract and then gradually beat in the egg.

Add the bananas and milk and then fold in the flour mixture and dates.

Line a loaf tin with some baking paper and pour in the mixture.

Bake in then oven for approx 45 mins, until a wooden skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Allow to cool and then slice and serve.


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ADVERTORIAL Big Bear Bespoke Education Ltd

www.big-bear-bespoke-education.co.uk Welcome to a revolution in education! Big Bear Bespoke Education are on a mission to increase awareness of creative learning approaches and a more Scandinavian style of education! If you have tried tuition or classes before and not enjoyed it, you may find that the techniques used by Big Bear Tutors and Learning Mentors are of genuine benefit. Big Bear Bespoke Education Ltd offers a complete educational service for students aged 18 months to 19 years, as well as providing parent support services and specialist consultancy to several schools in Surrey and Kent. Big Bear believe in harnessing a child’s natural learning style and allowing them to take ownership of their learning experience. Through a clear focus on developing study skills and verbal communication in a creative framework, they ensure that subjects are brought to life in an exciting and inspiring way! They have a wide range of services to choose from:

Tuition in your own home (2 years – 19 years)

Packages of tuition and support for Home-Educated students

Tailored support for children with particular specific needs including ASD, ADHD,

Developmental Delay

Special events and workshops for children and parents throughout the year

Director and Lead Primary Consultant, Beverley-Sarah says the secret to their success is their ‘joined-up’ holistic approach. ‘Our Staff help to mentor and coach, as well as teach. We are interested in promoting the well-being of the whole child, thus helping them to maximise their learning potential! We have been really pleased with the feedback we have received so far, and how rapidly our company is developing. I think many parents are not completely comfortable with the direction education has taken over the last decade, and are keen to see their children really enjoying their learning, actively asking questions and developing a sense of discovery and self-awareness. Many students just need to be taught in a different way for a concept to click - I have worked with parents who think I’ve performed a ‘miracle’ as their child can suddenly read accurately, when what I’ve actually done is enable them to learn using their preferred learning style. I’ve also supported 18 year old students who can suddenly raise their performance by over a level, simply by understanding they are a visual learner and being taught how to concept map properly.’

http://www.big-bear-bespoke-education.co.uk/


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Pre-School Services from Big Bear

BBBE are currently recruiting new Tutors and Learning Mentors. Contact us if you share our ethos, and would like to fit work around your lifestyle. Excellent rates of pay. See website for more details.

Let the class come to you! Big Bear provide bespoke pre-school tuition in client homes, designed to fit around the needs of your child and the times you have available. Tuition can be 1:1, 1:2 or as large a group as 1:6. Topics available include spelling, verbal communication and reading (Phonic Fun), Number Fun and French. All classes are available from the age of two, although they can also provide guidance sessions for children and their parents from 18 months. These classes are ideal if you have limited times available, your child prefers a smaller group or if you are not able to travel to ‘regular’ classes.

Here Comes Summer! \ Exciting group classes available in Effingham,

Leatherhead!

TUESDAYS 9:15 - 10:45

Phonic Fun: spelling, reading and verbal communication class for children aged 2.5 -3.5. Children dropped off and collected. Ratio of adults to children =2:8.

Spaces currently available to book: 6 Price= £12 per 90 minute session

TUESDAYS 11:00 - 12:30

Phonic Fun: spelling, reading and verbal communication class for children aged 3.5-5 Children dropped off and collected. Ratio of teachers to children =1:5.

Spaces currently still available: 3

Price= £12 per 90 minute session

FRIDAYS 1:30 - 2:30

ACROBATIC GROUP looking for more members! ages 2 - 3.5. Ratio of coaches to pupils = 1:4. Places still available to book = 2 Price = £7 per session including award badges (We have other groups taking place who would also like new members – email us to find out more!)

Term starts 6th May (Taster sessions

/ Settle-in sessions are available in the

two weeks prior to this date)

Above: The Motor Skills Studio in Effingham

Home Educating Meeting

New FREE meeting for parents of children aged 2-4 who are Home-Educating rather than attending nursery school, or considering it! Support for you and fun for your children! After Easter we will be meeting every Friday in Effingham from 10:30-12:30 Lots of discovery learning activities available, and an opportunity to find out more about Home Educating your child.


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Easter Activities


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