Parent stories and expert advice

Seeking Evidence-Based Advice

Being a celebrity does not automatically make you a health professional or a parenting expert! An increasing number of There is a growing (and quite frightening) trend of celebrities are offering health advice that is based on personal experience or opinion, but is not informed by research evidence...

Establishing routines together

Penelope is just over 6 months and it’s a godsend for us to finally have a little more routine in our lives. I won’t lie and tell you I live and breathe a strict routine, I don’t think Penelope would really allow that, and to be honest I am a touch lenient on myself if I am enjoying a walk or a coffee for longer than planned...

Challenges now my baby has reached 6 months

Hitting 6 months has meant fun fun fun! Quicker to feed, easier to settle, established solids to help distract from those mini tantrums, and best of-laughing, smiles, hugs and finally a show of genuine love towards her mummy and daddy.

Happy Mother's Day

Mother’s Day reminds us of the inestimable social contribution that women make to the world as they care for their fetuses, newborns, infants and young children. Sometimes, this contribution is forgotten. While Mother’s Day is a great way to celebrate mothers in our society, we should acknowledge the unparalleled addition that mothers make to our world every day.

My baby is 4 months old ... what's next?

So you arrive at 4 months, thinking the hard part is behind you, well we did anyway. Penelope was becoming a better sleeper, we knew her cues and she responded well to a little more routine that together we were beginning to get the hang of. To be honest, until 4 months I believe it’s hard to set any formal routines...

First time parenthood is tiring

As most new mums and dads soon find out, parenthood presents a whole new level of tiredness ...

The fog lifts? Or does it?

So, I was given the advice time and time again, prior to Penelope’s birth and in the early weeks, ‘don’t worry it’s like a fog lifts when you hit the 12 week mark’. So what did this exactly mean? Would I get my life back? Would my child be a terror and then suddenly an angel? Would I have no sleep for the first 3 months?

Acknowledgement

Acknowledgement goes a long way. We attempt to have some time together talking even if it’s only ten minutes a night over dinner or even folding the washing!

Using a dummy

We thought we would wait a few weeks to use a dummy. Gosh how that changed on about night 5 home from the hospital when we had tried every trick we had been taught.

Understanding a crying baby

We all know that babies cry. But what new mums and dads learn early on, it's sometimes hard to decipher why ...

Well planned time for me

Breastfeeding, carrying and pushing a baby can take its toll on your body, especially muscles tightening and the need to stretch, with little time out.

Sharing the load

We have learnt to juggle our time to help each other and manage Penelope. Having another pair of hands to quickly hang out the washing together each day is a godsend. We make the bed together each morning, and Ben gobbles his breakfast talking sweet nothings and baby goo-gah with Penelope while I throw myself under the shower.