3 of the main causes of anxiety in the first few years of parenthood are sleep, nutrition and general safety. Parental responsibility is amplified by the sheer dependence of a baby. Coupled with a lack of sleep and seeming risk at every turn, it can be overwhelming. Emboldening parents with sound and practical advice in these areas, is a lifeline, especially in those early weeks and months as they trudge through the nappy-ridden quagmire hoping they are simply ‘getting it right’.
Don’t get me wrong, this is a truly magical time, but it is daunting in equal measure and the great news is that we have help at hand locally! At the end of last year, I sat in on Kirtlington’s inaugural Weaning, Sleep and First Aid Workshop. Run by Rosy Whitwell (babyandchildsleep.com) and Jo Lenz (www.jolenzdietetics.net), it was a highly qualified, inspiring, non-judgemental and informative workshop on all things ‘sleep and eat’ – regarding babies. Guest speaker of the day was Drew Kamphuis from First for Safety Oxfordshire, adding to the wealth of reassuring advice with some simple and valuable tips on Paediatric First aid.
Homemade lemon cake (which put my 3-year-old and me in good stead for the entire day!) and drinks led into a welcoming chat, Rosy and Jo introduced themselves whilst carers and parents shared ‘notes’ on their children. Then a wealth of information, facts and advice flowed for the next 2 hours, interspersed with questions.
The snippets of advice that resonated with me were Jo’s kind insistence that whilst weaning “the more mess, really is - the better!” and Rosy highlighting that “each child (and parent) has individual sleep needs, there is no one rule for all”.
These ladies are incredible, and I couldn’t recommend attending a work- shop more highly, you will leave enlightened and more confident with their practical but holistic approach to guiding your baby through their first years of eating and sleeping. They take into account the demands of busy family life and work commitments and help find practicable solutions bespoke to your family, plus they do make an exquisite lemon drizzle!
Aimed towards parents and carers of babies aged 0 -7 months, there are more workshops in the pipeline for 2020. Booking will be available on Rosy and Jo's Eventbrite page. Furthermore - plans are afoot for workshops covering older babies and pregnancy...... watch this space.