Mother & BabyApril 15 2011 31

LIFE STYLELIFE STYLE

For more information: www.birthtide.ie or, 087 9327279

Birth WithoutFear Classes.

COUNSELINGFor all those moments in pregnancy,

labour, birth and early parenthoodthat didn't go how you had hoped.

Supporting, Educating and Inspiring pregnant women and their partners to have calm, relaxed, joyful birthing.

Next Class: Saturday 7th - Sunday 8th May

Pregnancy, Labour and Birth Support at Home and inHospital

Your very own Pregnancy best friend who is also a birth professional!

Skilled at keeping you calm and relaxed during labour and at helping your partner be the very best birth support possible.

Mayo County Childcare Committee (Mayo CCC)support pre-schools and childcare services by providing

• Support and guidance on Funding Applications• Organise and Facilitate Management Support & Development

meetings for management of childcare services• Organise Childcare Training• Provide Childcare information eg through newsletters, website etc.• Conduct Childcare research• Build capacity of childcare providers through training, advice and

support• Promote equality & diversity through training & information• Promote social inclusion through training & information• Develop quality childcare through training and information

Mayo CCC support parents by• Providing childcare information including a list of all notified

childcare services in the county• Promoting the Free pre-school place & other funding initiatives

Mayo CCC support children by• Developing quality childcare through training and information• Providing a ‘childrens corner’ in quarterly MCCC newsletters

Contact Mayo Co Childcare Committee atFirst Floor, Chambers House, Ellison St., Castlebar. Tel 094 9047010

Email:mayochildcare@mayococo.ie Web:www.mayochildcare.ieFor a comprehensive list of childcare training available in Mayo go to

www.mayochildcare.ieFunded by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan 2007-2013

PregnancyMassage

Contact Yvonne Healy APNT (Wellmother accredited) 087 9593 935 nowwer3@hotmail.com

Pre and post Natal supportthrough Massage, gentle exercises and Shiatsu(Accupressure).

Birth preparation including working with birth partner.

Nurturing Mother and Baby

Use pregnancy massage tohelp cope with birthing

Pregnancy is a time of enormous change, especially if it is yourfirst pregnancy. Not only is your body changing, but powerfulemotions tug at you as you journey along the path to motherhood.Some women seem to travel this path more easily than others.

Pregnancy massage can help you be more in tune with yourself.It gives you the space and time to relax your weary body and allowyou to connect with your baby. Treatments are tailored to suit theindividual mum/baby and include pre and post natal supportthrough massage, gentle exercises, and shiatsu (accupressure).Later on birth preparation and working with the birth partner, ifdesirable, can empower the couple in helping to cope with thebirth. Treatments are available to suit all needs and budget.

Testimonials“As this is my second pregnancy I found the massage very

relaxing, a chance to switch off and connect to baby. Yvonne hasan intuitive touch.”

“My partner and I used massage techniques and breathingexercises in labour which Yvonne recommended to us whichhelped ease discomfort.”

Yvonne Healy, APNT massage in pregnancy (wellmotheraccredited), telephone 087 959 3935, emailnowwer3@hotmail.com

Every parent has been there,the big struggle with your babyor young child to get themedicine down and the dreadof repeating the wholeexercise again in a couple ofhours.

Molloy’s Lifestyle Pharmacysuggests you hold your baby ata 45-degree angle, with theirhands down and headsupported. Using a plasticsyringe, a medicine dropper,or a bottle teat, drip themedicine onto the back ofbaby’s tongue near the sides.Avoid emptying the dropperinto the cheek pouches,because your baby will spit itall out at the first opportunity.Also avoid squirting themedicine down into yourbaby's throat, because they

might choke. For toddlers, to reduce the

bad taste of some liquidmedicines chill the medicine,or have your child suck on apopsicle prior to taking themedicine as cold temperaturesnumb the taste buds. Forbabies over six months trygiving it with some yogurt orbaby rice.

For babies, syringes workbetter than spoons becauseyou can be sure you're gettingall the medicine into yourchild's mouth by giving a littlebit at a time. If using a spoonuse a plastic medicine spoonwith dosage markings.

Never refer to medicine assweets or nice juice — you aresetting up a potentiallydangerous confusion.

And when the mission hasbeen accomplished, don'tforget the big hug andcongratulations on a job welldone — for both of you.

Check outwww.molloyspharmacy.com orfacebook.com/molloyspharmacy

Lifestyle Pharmacies and Healthfood Stores

Do you need nutritional advice on:• Pre-pregnancy diet to prepare your body for pregnancy• What to eat and avoid during pregnancy• Nutrients needed post-pregnancy and while breastfeeding• Weaning baby onto solids but don't know where to start• Feeding your fussy toddlers and teenagers

For help and advice on all stages of your family's nutritional needs make an appointment with

our Dietician at your nearest Molloys Lifestyle Pharmacy or call:

Ballina: Garden St 096 21375 Bunree Rd 096 60340

Ballaghaderreen 094 987 7520 Roscommon Town 0906 637 602 Crossmolina 096 31177

Join us online at www.molloyspharmacy.com or

facebook.com/molloyspharmacy

Consultations

ONLY €20

For top children’s healthadvice visit Molloy’sLifestyle Pharmacies

Mayo County Childcare Committee providesinformation, training, and support to childcareservices, parents, and agencies relating tomany childcare schemes which are now in placeunder the direction of the Office of Minister forChildren and Youth Affairs.

The free school year is an example of onesuch scheme. The free preschool year wasintroduced in January 2010. It has been aresounding success with almost 97 per cent ofchildren nationally taking up the opportunity toavail of a free preschool year.

In Mayo there are currently 117 preschoolservices implementing the free preschool year,

spread across the whole county. It is designedto give children access to a free preschool yearof appropriate programme-based activities inthe year before they start primary school.

If your child was born between February 2and June 30 2008 you are eligible for a freeplace from September 2011. The scheme has anoption for parents of children with additionalspecial needs to apply to access preschool fortheir child over two years.

For further information on the free preschoolyear or any childcare issue contact Mayo CCC,094 9047010, email mayochildcare.ie, or logonto www.mayochildcare.ie

Learn theskills to givebirth thenatural way

Birthide’s Birth Without Fear classes have helped many mothersto have calm, relaxed, births, regardless of whether they are firsttime parents or had a previous Caesarean, and have been shownto greatly reduce mothers needing, or wanting, an epidural.Birthtide provides parents with information, skills, and relaxation,and it is this relaxation that calms the mind and enables awoman’s body to give birth in the best way possible.

At the end of the class parents can expect to feel very relaxed,more connected to their baby, and more excited, positive, andupbeat about the labour. Often parents report feeling relievedthat they finally have a clear path mapped out for them to followtheir dreams of a natural birth.

Birthtide is run by Emily Belfrage, who also provides a birthsupport — or doula — service for labours and births in homeand at hospital. You can think of her as your pregnancy andlabour best friend who happens to be a birthing professional.

Throughout the labour and birth Ms Belfrage’s main aim is tohelp the mother to have the best birth possible and to enable herpartner to be the best support he can. Each labour and birth isunique and Emily Belfrage draws on her expertise and knowledgeappropriately in each case.

Birthtide also provides a counselling service for all thosemoments in pregnancy, labour, birth, and early parenthood thatdid not go according to how you had hoped and dreamed.

For all information go to www.birthtide.ie or call (087)9327279.

For childcare advice on a rangeof issues contact Mayo CCC