West Auckland Parents Centre Issue 185

Tiny Talk

Positive birth experiences and informed par-enting in a community

Apr — May 2014|185 West Auckland Parents Centre

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Birth Story Vanessa & Joshua

This issue

The basics of attachment

Learning is child’s play

Why is my baby crying

Grandparenting: giving &

taking advice

Bathing a baby

Infant feeding

Avoiding Listeria

West Auckland Parents Centre 3

From the Editor Why do signs like this exist? This one is at Pak n Save in Pukehoke. Apparently it’s ok for my wife to shop there, but they do not want my money if I have Poppy with me. Maybe, I dunno, it’s a dumb sign though isn’t it. One would have thought we could’ve dispensed with all this gender nonsense by now. We’re all on this parenting journey together, let the poor man park with his baby if he wants to!

Unfortunately, a major part of my content did not get delivered in time for this issue. However I have quickly gathered a number of informative articles from our own members and Parent Centres affiliates that I’m sure you’ll find interesting.

Farvel,

Daniel

Congratulations to Rebecca Bunting and son Jack. You are the winner of

this issue’s cover photo competition! Your prize will be sent to you shortly.

Don’t forget to send your entries in for the cover of the next issue. All unselected entries remain in subsequent draws.

COPYRIGHT - As the articles, recipes, stories etc. in this newsletter have been contributed, we are unable to guarantee originality and therefore cannot be held liable. Copyright held by contributors remains with the contributing party.

Opinions and articles in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the policies of Parents Centres New Zealand Inc or West Auckland Parents Centre. Advertising in this newsletter does not imply endorsement by Parents Centres New Zealand Inc.

Special Features Committee Bio—Dorothy Waide 5

Getting to know the people behind WAPC.

The basics of attachment 6

Do attached babies more joyfully negotiate the world?

Learning is child’s play 10

But more is not necessarily better.

Why is my baby crying? 11

The $64,000 question.

Grandparenting: giving & taking advice 16

The rules, communication, dealing with the differences.

Birth Story 18

Vanessa & Josh.

Bathing a baby 22

Some tips.

Infant feeding 24

Parents Centre New Zealand’s position statement on infant feeding

Avoiding Listeria 26

Some timely information given the recent incidences.

Regular Features From the President 4

WAPC Volunteers of the Month 13

Birthdays 14

Welcome to our World 15

Volunteer Opportunities 28

WAPC: Parent Education 29

Shopping for Baby 30

WAPC Member Discounts 32

Round the Coffee Cups 34

Contact Us 36

Parent Support—Directory 37

Tiny Talk Contributions & Advertising 38

4 West Auckland Parents Centre

From the President Another two months has passed and time

seems to be flying. My little boy has just turned

one and as well as being a big celebration, it

was also a reminder that I have now been

President of West Auckland Parents Centre for

9 months, as he was only 3 months old when I

took on the role. It's hard to believe I have

nearly been in the role for a year.

Following on from my report last issue, in which

I said that we were cancelling our Baby and You

and Moving, Munching and Motoring classes,

we have been hard at work trying to find ways

to get those courses running again as we

understand how valuable they can be to new

parents. We hope to be able to announce very

shortly when they will start again.

We have had a large amount of interest in

volunteering for WAPC lately, which is fantastic

but we still need class hosts. If you are

interested in hosting an antenatal class, or

Moving, Munching and Motoring, or any of our

other classes, please let us know.

As this issue covers April/May, I would like to

wish all the mothers Happy Mothers Day for

May, especially those for whom it will be their

first one. I hope you enjoy it and get a chance

for a rest, even if it is only a for a little while.

WAPC NOTIFICATIONS

Annual General Meeting

(AGM)

Our AGM will take place on Thursday 26 June at 7:30pm

at the Kelston Community Centre.

Everyone is welcome to attend.


West Auckland Parents Centre relies upon the generous support of philanthropic organisa-

tions in the community. We take this opportunity to thank the organisations below for their

Committee Bio — Dorothy Waide Hi, my name is Dorothy Waide and I became involved with WAPC on return to NZ as I wanted to work with a centre as I was training to be a CBE.

Unfortunately due to my new business Dorothy Waide's Consultancy Baby Within Ltd I was unable to continue to study and have since stayed on as a volunteer.

I do not hold a named role, I am a general committee, member helping out where I can, but I do volunteer my services as guest speaker for the Baby & You sleeping and settling classes which I enjoy immensely and love being able to contribute something to the community.


Attachment is the way we relate to the important

people in our lives. It is a key element of

psychological and emotional well-being and forms

our views about love and connection. The way we

attach to others determines the quality of our

relationships, how we see the world and the tone and

depth of our lives. Our attachment style and patterns

are grounded in our first experiences, namely those

primary relationships of our first years of life.

Children form attachments to their main caregivers.

These primary attachments are fundamentals of life,

as essential to growth and development as breathing

and eating. When a child is consistently cared for by

someone she knows and trusts, who can be relied

upon to respond to her needs with sensitivity and

warmth, a secure attachment relationship develops.

Caregivers of securely attached children have the

ability to make themselves available to their child for

comfort and support when she needs them, and to

allow her the freedom to follow her curiosity and

explore her world in safe ways when she is ready to.

This secure relationship gives the child confidence

that someone will be available to help her when she

needs it. She develops a model of other people as

dependable and of herself as deserving of loving care.

These models of the self and of others form the

foundation of health that the securely attached baby

will carry with her for life.

However, if a child experiences care that is

inconsistent, unpredictable, cold, hostile or scary, he

is likely to develop an attachment that is insecure.

Caregivers of insecurely attached children are

typically uncomfortable with either too much

closeness and neediness or too much distance and

independence. Being insecurely attached to a

caregiver as a baby means that a child has developed

an expectation that the important people in his life

will not be reliably and dependably available to him

in times of need. The insecurely attached baby grows

into a child (and then an adult) with fewer resources

for managing his own emotions and his relationships

with other people. Unlike a secure child, the insecure

child cannot easily identify, understand, tolerate or

communicate his feelings, leaving him vulnerable to a

host of psychological difficulties. Being an insecurely

attached baby is a risk factor for social and emotional

problems throughout a person’s life including

depression, anxiety, aggression and addiction, as well

as a host of medical ailments as well.

Research on brain development has deepened our

understanding of the sorts of caregiving that promote

well-being in children. This work has confirmed the

conclusions first made in attachment research. Babies

who have an attuned, sensitive and responsive

caregiver more skilfully and joyfully negotiate the

world. They are happier, less stressed, more engaged;

they recover more quickly from fearful or upsetting

experiences and they fare better in social situations.

While babies are born with genetic tendencies and

potentials, it is their experiences that enhance or

diminish these possibilities in life. Via these critical

caregiving relationships, babies’ brains are literally

being wired. When the neural connections follow a

path and pattern of secure attachment, babies face

the world with a map that allows them to function

well in all settings.

What can parents do?

The fear that responding to a baby’s every need will

The Basics of Attachment Babies who have an attuned, sensitive and responsive caregiver more skilfully and joyfully

negotiate the world.


reinforce needy behaviour and produce dependency

is a myth; in fact the opposite is true. Research shows

that children who are consistently soothed and

comforted and whose emotional needs are

dependably met are the ones who emerge with the

stability and independence we seek to promote.

To raise securely attached children, parents need to

be reasonably emotionally healthy themselves.

Having good information about child development

and parenting practices also allows parents to make

decisions that support secure attachments. Holding

realistic expectations about babies and having access

to quality support are essential to feeling confident

and satisfied as a parent. Parenting is hard work. It is

also the most important work one can undertake.

With each child we shape the future and how we do

so is in our hands.

Parent Emotional Health Becoming a parent reawakens in us our own

experiences of being parented and can evoke both

joyful and painful feelings and memories…

By coming to understand our own life course we open

ourselves up to fully connecting with our children and

promoting their secure attachment.

Having a child changes your life forever. It opens your

world to new hopes and dreams, new fears and

struggles. At the same time, it can unlock the

unfinished business and difficult experiences of our

early lives. Becoming a parent reawakens in us our

own experiences of being parented and can evoke

both joyful and painful feelings and memories.

We all want to be good parents and raise securely

attached children. However, how we parent and

respond to our children is heavily influenced by our

early life experiences. We may not have had a perfect

childhood, but through those first relationships we

learned about love. Those models and lessons follow

us into parenthood, just as they did for our parents

before us. As a result of learning these lessons, we

each possess great strengths, and weaknesses as

well. In spite of this, we are not predestined to

recreate the same sort of childhood for our own

children that we experienced ourselves.

There are many things that parents can do to

improve our parenting, free ourselves from acting

upon harmful messages we have received, and help

our children be healthy and happy. For example, we

can learn about child development so that we are

working from a realistic set of beliefs and

expectations. We can also learn strategies and skills

for interacting with children in positive ways and for

handling the challenging issues of childrearing well.

One of the most intriguing findings of over 3 decades

of attachment research is that secure attachment in a

baby is strongly related to his primary caregivers’

own emotional health. One hallmark of emotional

health in parents is the ability to deeply understand

themselves and their early life experiences. This

ability may not come naturally to some parents, but it

is an ability that can be learned and strengthened.

Another hallmark of emotional health in parents is

the ability to think about the experiences of their

baby. A baby who has a caregiver who is thinking

about him as a person with his own thoughts,

feelings, and motivations, and who can think about

things from his perspective, is more likely to develop

a healthy sense of himself.

“To raise

securely attached

children, parents

need to be

reasonably

emotionally

healthy

themselves”


Learning about the components of optimal parenting

and healthy attachment can often evoke sadness. We

are faced with the disappointing awareness that our

growing up may have included experiences that were

not in our best interest. At the same time, we may feel

guilty about how we have interacted with our own

children as we learn more about what children need.

It is important to understand that most of the issues we

faced in our own early years are part of a pattern of

many generations. We are not responsible for the

messages we received. However, those messages

shape the way we form attachments, and most often

we are unaware of their power. It is by gaining new

awareness that things can begin to change. We can’t

change the past. But we can start to make changes in

what we do now. When we do this, we build upon the

foundation of positive events from our past and join

that with new ways of being that enhance our ability to

form healthy attachments.

As we know, our brain is built upon experience. The

human connections we make create the neural

connections in our brain. If we had a childhood with

high levels of stress, little expression of affection,

strained communication, neglect or trauma, our brains

developed accordingly, creating a mental map that

allowed us to navigate those obstacles. That our brains

are able to do this – to design a strategy for what we

faced – is remarkable and a testament to our personal

strength and our instinct for survival.

Unfortunately, that map is often misguided. While we

all share the desired destination of healthy

relationships, some of us follow a path that leads us

into painful, harmful or distancing ways of relating,

thus making the outcome much less than we’d hoped

for. These situations require new maps. Thankfully the

brain is always open to change. With each new

interaction we can restructure our mind and invent

better ways of being. The first step is realizing that our

old map isn’t working. Having a child often brings us to

this awareness.

If you find yourself repeatedly experiencing

overwhelming or intense reactions toward your

children, it is a sign that your map needs revision.

Feeling extremely angry, yelling, high levels of stress or

anxiety, noticing discomfort at our babies’ needs,

wanting to withdraw: these are all indicators that the

feelings and experiences of our childhoods are

colouring our current interactions. When we find

ourselves unable to examine what our babies really

need, when we worry excessively about what others

think of our parenting, when we blame our children for

our own strong reactions, then we can be sure that we

are in the presence of unresolved issues from our past.

Thankfully we don’t have to stay stuck here. We can

move forward.

To deepen your ability to understand your child and

yourself, start drawing up a new map for yourself and

your relationships, and build your emotional health, it

helps to have someone to talk to who will be able to

listen to your thoughts and feelings and to help you to

organize them and make sense of them. (Talking about

your reactions to your child can often be especially

valuable.) This can be done, for example, with a trusted

friend. Often, when parents share their experiences

and feelings about parenting, they find that they have

much in common and can use their shared experiences

as a starting place for exploring their feelings at a

deeper level than they normally may. Many people find

it helpful to explore the unfamiliar territory of their

emotions and history with a counsellor or therapist –

an objective listener who is on your side, is skilled at

helping people reach a deeper understanding of

themselves, and does not bring her own agenda or

needs into the conversation. In all cases, the freedom

to explore our emotional states knowing that we won’t

be judged is a very powerful form of support to help us

become more healthy adults and more capable

parents.

The reward for undertaking the journey of self-

understanding is a better relationship with ourselves

and with our children. Put simply, when we are able to

relate to and nurture ourselves we will be able to do

this with our children, too. By coming to understand

our own life course we open ourselves up to fully

connecting with our children and promoting their

secure attachment.

Article courtesy of www.centreforattachment.com



The message that the first few years of life are

extremely important for brain development is

becoming more widely known. What may be less

clear is how to put this knowledge into practise.

Parents wanting to give their child the best start are

faced with a huge variety of choice and much

commercially-driven pressure to ensure that their

child makes the most of this developmental

opportunity. The bewildering number of toys and

activities currently available for our babies and young

children is enough to send parents’ cortisol levels into

orbit. And that’s before the credit card bill arrives.

Children need stimulation, but as with many things,

moderation is key. More is not necessarily better.

Many children today are at risk of being over-

stimulated or over-scheduled and this can actually

impede rather than encourage their optimal brain

development.

During the first years of a child’s life it is play, not

scheduled instruction, which contributes the most to

brain development (Frost, 1998). We don’t need to

formally “teach” our young children in order for them

to learn. Children have their own interests and by

being supported to follow these they are likely to be

getting the stimulation that they need.

Play provides a wonderful opportunity for parent and

child to have fun together, deepening their

relationship. Children also need opportunities for

some play on their own. This provides many

opportunities to develop their imagination, problem-

solve and develop other skills that are less likely to

develop in adult-directed play. At times, boredom

may provide the impetus for the child to make their

own discoveries and create their own fun, fantastic

life skills and great stimulation for a growing brain.

Simple toys that allow children to use their

imagination and creativity have many benefits over

the endless plastic creations currently available

(Ginsburg, 2007). Blocks, play dough, a sandpit,

versatile dress-ups (as opposed to Disney inspired

ones), crayons and paper provide endless options.

Household objects such as boxes, blankets, pots and

pans can also provide many hours of fun and

learning. The toys and activities that offer the most

stimulation for a growing brain often don’t have the

“educational” label on them!

Learning and brain development is not limited to toys

and activities specifically created for children, but

also by following their interests in participating in the

real world. Household activities that most adults

consider work are also rich with opportunities for

learning. Hanging out the washing, baking, grocery

shopping and weeding the garden provide many

opportunities for exploration and learning - and while

the task inevitably takes longer, it can be much more

fun for the adult too.

Everyday life is full of naturally occurring learning

opportunities. Watching the rubbish truck, road

works, rain going down the drain, or a rainbow, can

capture the interest of a child when shared with a

parent. Take time to stop, observe, and talk with your

child about the things happening around them, and

when possible move on only when your child’s

interest is waning. Be confident in the knowledge

that you have just provided them with the

stimulation they need, and it didn’t cost a cent!

Rich sensory experiences that are so vital for optimal

brain development are readily available in nature.

Playing with the sand at the beach, feeling the bark

on trees, smelling flowers, or listening to birds

singing, enjoyed with a loving parent all provide

stimulation prompting brain connections to form.

Sensory experiences can be a messy business and

children benefit from being able to enjoy such

experiences fully, without anyone worrying about the

washing!

Playful, creative children who have had plenty of

unscheduled, non-screen (TV, computer etc) time for

play throughout their early years are more likely to

arrive at school with their natural curiosity intact and

a strong desire to learn that will benefit them more

than those whose infancy and pre-school years have

been filled with scheduled activities and little time for

play.

Learning is Child’s Play By Keryn O’Neill, MA Psych


We used to be told (and you may still hear this) that if

a baby was clean and fed that would settle him, or

you could leave him cry so he wouldn't be 'spoilt'.

This tugged at a lot of parents' heart strings because,

despite having a full tummy and a clean nappy,

babies do cry—crying is your baby's language. At first,

it is pretty much the only way an infant can

communicate her needs and express feelings like

discomfort, hunger, exhaustion, and loneliness. As

your baby grows he will learn other ways to

communicate—through facial expressions, body

language and, eventually, by telling you how he feels

and what he needs.

To help you calm the crying, here is a checklist of

reasons why your baby may be crying and how you

can soothe the sobs.

Sensitivity to the environment: Some babies

seem more sensitive to the world around them

and become easily overstimulated—then they

cry. In the early weeks, especially protect your

little one's senses by avoiding sudden

movements, changes in temperature, loud

noises, bright lights, and lots of handling by

'strangers'. Respond quickly when your baby is

unsettled—you can't spoil a little baby, but if

you leave her to cry, she will become more

upset as her crying picks up momentum. Soon

she won't even know why she was crying in the

first place. She will just be crying because she

can't stop and will be much harder to settle. On

the other hand, if you keep your baby close, you

will get better at reading her cues and soon you

may be able to avert full blown crying episodes.

Hunger: Your newborn's stomach is only the

size of his tiny fist so it won't hold enough food

to go long between feeds—day or night. If you

are breastfeeding, it is particularly important to

respond quickly to hunger cues. A baby who is

left to work up to a full-blown cry will have a

more disorganised suck and

may have difficulty latching

on correctly (when babies

cry, their tongues are pointed

towards the roof of their

mouths), or she may only

suck for a short time before

she falls asleep with

exhaustion. Also, if you are

breastfeeding, remember,

the more your baby sucks,

the more milk you will

produce. He needs to suck

long enough to get the more

satisfying hind-milk, which is

higher in calories. The best way to do this is to

watch your baby, not the clock, and allow your

baby to decide when he is finished the first

breast, before you switch sides.

Physical discomfort: Yes, your baby may be

crying because he has a wet or dirty nappy. Or is

he hot? Cold? Itchy? Is he sensitive to your

laundry detergent? Check there are no loose

threads from clothing or socks wrapped around

tiny toes. If your baby is teething, ease painful

gums by giving him something cool to chew on.

If he has started solid foods he may enjoy chilled

soft foods such as frozen slices of banana or 'icy

poles' made from apple or pear puree (with

supervision). Never give hard foods that may be

a choking hazard as tiny teeth emerge and bite

bits off.

Why is my baby crying?


Tummy pains: Although we now see 'colic' as a

way babies behave rather than a 'diagnosis', this

behaviour is often attributed to an immature

digestive system and an immature nervous

system. If your baby is unsettled and seems to

have 'wind' pains, you could try some different

carry holds to help her feel more comfortable.

For instance, lie baby face-down across your

arm, her cheek at your elbow, or carry her with

her backbone against you, pressing her knees

against her stomach. Alternatively, lie baby

tummy-down across your knees, perhaps with a

warm wheat pack on your lap.

If your baby has a regular crying time or suffers from

evening 'colic', try to pre-empt the wails with a

combination of massage, followed by a relaxation

bath about an hour before his usual crying time.

Reflux: If your baby is spitting up and vomiting; has

constant hiccups; is a fussy feeder; chronically

irritable; uncomfortable when lying on his back; has a

chronic cough and/or congestion and is very wakeful,

consider could he have 'gastro oesophageal reflux'?

Firstly, have your baby checked by a doctor or ask for

a referral to a paediatric gastroenterologist. Also

consider whether his symptoms could be alleviated

by changes in your own diet (see food intolerances

below). Elevating your baby after feeds and when he

sleeps is helpful to prevent regurgitation of stomach

acids and your doctor may prescribe medication. A

good book to read is Colic Solved by Dr Bryan

Vartabedian, a paediatric gastroenterologist and

father of two 'reflux' babies.

Food intolerance and allergies: If you are

breastfeeding and crying spells seem to be

related to your diet, write down baby's crying

times and what you have eaten (or if your baby

has started other foods, what has he eaten?). If

there appears to be a link, eliminate the

suspected food for at least a week. Common

culprits are caffeine, dairy produce (milk,

cheese, and yoghurt), citrus, chocolate, and

peanuts. Some babies may also react to food

additives (in soft drinks or processed foods,

passing through your milk), or chemicals such as

salicylates, which are present in a range of

otherwise healthy foods such as grapes, citrus,

berries and tomatoes. For more information on

food intolerance see the book or DVD Fed up by

Sue Dengate: http://www.fedup.com.au

Separation anxiety: Most babies go through

clingy phases. Newborns depend on close

contact to transition to the world outside the

womb. Gently ease your baby's transition from

womb to room by snuggling your newborn

against your bare skin and heartbeat. Carrying

your baby in a sling next to your body is a

perfect way to help him feel secure and snug. It

will also regulate his immature heartbeat,

rhythmic movements and respiration, balancing

irregular waking, sleeping and feeding rhythms.

It's also common for babies to become clingy at

significant developmental stages. Just as babies have

physical growth spurts, neurobiology studies show

that dramatic changes take place in babies' brains

during the first year and these are followed by

marked leaps forward in cognitive development. This

means that despite a calm, loving environment, some

babies feel confused, frustrated or anxious as the way

they perceive their world changes, so they cling to

the only safety and security they know—You.

Is he unwell? Pain, fever and rashes may be

symptoms of illness so observe your baby

carefully and seek medical advice if you have

any concerns (you are never an overanxious

parent wasting a health professional's time—

consider you are contributing to your doctor's

kids school fees!).

Article written by Pinky McKay. Pinky is an

International Board certified Lactation Consultant

(IBCLC) and author of Parenting by Heart, Penguin

Publications. Courtesy of ASG.co.nz

Image from http://brightbabyhood.com

“Your newborn's stomach is

only the size of his tiny fist”

http://www.fedup.com.au/

http://brightbabyhood.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Crying-Baby_Foter-com.jpg


February—Catherine Matson & March— Megan Barwell

Our Volunteers of the Month for February and March are our Co-Treasurers, Catherine and Megan. Both of them have been committee members for some time, and their role is often overlooked as it happens largely in the background. However they play a crucial part in our

organisation, ensuring all our payments are made correctly and on time and our financial records are accurate. Recently they have also both helped out with hosting our antenatal

classes. We would like to take the opportunity to thank them both for their hard work.

.

WAPC - Volunteer of the Month

Each Volunteer of the month receives a $25 bouquet from Amanda 4 Flowerz


Birthdays! Celebrating 2 Years

Ruby Weir

Celebrating 1 year

Ryan Duncan

Toby Dalton-Brown

Winslow Pook

Mona Laban

Ayla MacDonald

Casper Grimme

Birthdays


Welcome to Our World

Class: Sat 11 & 25 January

Samantha & Aaron Hugo 18/02/2014

Anna & Terry Maxine 20/02/2014

Maureen & Aderino Cooper 24/02/2014

Robyn & Dan Kate 28/02/2013

Hire it from us!

TENS Machine

Helps to lessen contraction pain by stimulating certain nerves and muscles.

Hire cost: $55, plus $55 bond

Collect 2 weeks before EDD and return as soon as possible once baby has arrived.

Class: Mon 5 Aug — 9 Sept

Joanna & Brent Charlotte 17/10/2013

Class: Mon 16 Sept — 21 Oct

Kelly & Dan India-Rose 29/10/2013

Tracey & Wayne Boston 30/10/2013

Bobbie & Paul Monty 25/11/2013

Jolene & Ramon Kasey 02/12/2013

Ann & Paul Isabelle 04/12/2013


Grandparenting: Giving and taking advice Part of the enjoyment of being a grandparent can be

not being responsible for the everyday, ongoing

parenting of the grandchildren.

Most parents look forward to the time when their

children have children of their own and they can sit

back and enjoy this ‘all care and no responsibility'

time in their lives. If the only contact with

grandchildren is the occasional visit or family get

together, issues of discipline and differing

expectations can most often be overlooked.

However, in today's society, where grandparents are

increasingly required to care for their grandchildren

on a part-time or full-time basis, their views on

preferred ways of parenting, compared with those of

their children, are more likely to be an issue.

For many young parents, views on parenting can

include not raising their children the way their

parents raised them. For this reason, many children

decline to seek advice from their parents. In turn, the

parents (grandparents) may be left feeling that their

experience counts for very little and feel less inclined

to communicate their concerns.

House Rules

Set appropriate guidelines. Even if you are not caring

for your grandchildren on a regular basis, it's

important that you set appropriate guidelines for

when the grandchildren visit or are temporarily being

cared for in your home.

Discuss with your children any concerns,

expectations, ground rules or code of conduct you

think appropriate within your home.

Ask your children how they would prefer you to

manage inappropriate behaviour.

Discuss nutrition and whether or not the children

should be offered sweets, ice creams or fast food.

Be clear on bedtimes if the grandchildren are staying

overnight.

Clarify any issues of safety. Be clear about who is

expected to meet the expenses of the installation of

safety harnesses in your car or safety proofing your

house.

Communication

Support your children as parents, by keeping the lines

of communication open.

Resist giving unsolicited advice to your children.

Support your children by continuing to be their

parents, as opposed to taking over the role of parents

to their children (your grandchildren).

Give your children time and space to seek your advice

and ensure they know that they can talk to you at any

time.

Suggest regular family get togethers to talk about

issues and compare notes. Preferably meet for coffee

or lunch, away from familiar territory.

Ask your children how you can support their

preferred ways of parenting.

Cultivate respect and trust

Cultivate a relationship with your children that is

based on respect and trust. Your children are raising

their children in an era vastly different to the era in

which you raised them.

Acknowledge your children's parenting style and

respect their judgement and choices.

Listen to your children's concerns if they believe their

child has a learning problem. Acknowledge their

concerns and take any advice and recommendations

on board.

Be reliable with the administration of any medication.

Praise your children often on the great job they're

doing as parents.

Acknowledge your children's maturity and accept

that they are old enough now to be independent and

choose what they want for their children.

Share the fact that, despite all your years of

experience as a parent, you still don't know

everything there is to know about parenting.


Refrain from undermining your children's confidence

by being overly judgmental or critical.

Don't compete for a grandchild's affection. The

relationship you have with your grandchild is unique

in what you can offer, encourage and share.

Be united with your children in the all important

areas of discipline and behaviour. Grandchildren get

confused by mixed messages.

Report back to your children with any concerns you

may have regarding your grandchild's health, but

leave the decision with them as to whether or not

they seek further advice.

Dealing with differences

Despite open communication and a solid relationship

with your children, there may

come a time when differences in

parenting style are difficult to

overlook.

Show respect for your children's

decision, even if you find it difficult

to agree.

Question their decision without

being critical or applying your

rationale.

Voice your concerns in a

supportive way, but at the same

time, let your children know that

their decision is worrying you and

why.

If you consider a decision to be

detrimental to a child's physical or

emotional wellbeing, ask to see

supporting documentation (a

medical prescription or

psychologist's report) so that you

are better placed to understand

what is going on.

Don't be blind to a grandchild's

personality or attempts to

manipulate your loyalty and

affection to play you off against

parents. If your children think

there's a problem, listen to their point of view and

agree to observe and work together to rectify the

behaviour.

If at any time you feel your grandchildren are at risk,

seek professional help.

Get into the groove

Be a trusted friend to your grandchildren. Make the

most of your time with them by talking, sharing,

listening and understanding.

Be an ally and support to your children in their

parenting decisions and enjoy offering wisdom,

discernment, guidance, strength and

experience....especially when it's asked for.

Article courtesy of ASG.co.nz


Birth Story

Vanessa and Joshua In anti-natal class, we acted through what a surgery room would look like when having an assisted birth via caesarean. I remember looking at all the people who would be in the room and the teacher asking how this would make people feel – terrified was the common answer. She explained that each person was there for us and our baby, to keep us safe – this is what I thought as I lay on the table, with my arms pinned down and my body shaking uncontrollably, ‘these people are here to keep us safe’.

At 41 weeks I had no signs of labour. Baby was in the right position, so my obstetrician did a stretch and sweep. Two days later and not so much as a tingle when I sneezed and I was admitted to hospital to be induced. It was a relief, frightening and exciting to be finally getting things started. The drugs were administered at 11am and within an hour contrac-tions had begun. We were allowed to leave the hos-pital and went for walks, had lunch and returned at 2pm to be monitored. At this stage contractions were infrequently 5 mins apart and lasting for 1 min. As all baby signs were ok, we went home to try and get some rest and to return at 5pm. After my obste-trician examined me, she advised on an epidural – this was a shock as I didn’t expect this suggestion so early in the process. I did however have an obstetri-cian for a reason, respected her advice and one was put in place. The idea of someone jabbing a needle in your spine, while trying to hold still in an awkward position and having contractions was daunting but achievable.

The next stage was dare I say ‘cruisy’. The midwife completed paperwork while monitoring baby’s pro-gress, the obstetrician went home for a nap and due to the epidural I lay in relative comfort waiting for the finale. A few hours later, labour had not progressed any further so they broke my waters and adminis-tered drugs to increase my contractions. Although baby had started to move down the birth canal, he now started to ‘retreat’. Upon examination, his skull bones were being pressed together which was a sign that a natural birth may not be the best option. We

were advised that we could continue as the baby wasn’t distressed, but to consider a caesarean as this was likely to be the outcome. We decided not to wait until baby became distressed and were prepped for surgery.

The epidural wasn’t fully effective to one small area

where I could feel contractions. This remained the

case until after they had delivered baby. I’m sure it

was only minutes but it seemed like the longest part

of the process for me. Baby was born healthy at 12

pound 8 ounces at 11:57pm. His dad held him, keep-

ing him safe until they stitched me together and then

off to recovery where we could re-unite.

Got a birth story you’d like to share?

Whatever, whenever and wherever it

happened, we’d love to hear about it.

Email your story (with a photo of you and

your baby) to:

[email protected].



VOLUNTEERS!

HOSTS!


West Auckland Parents Centre is a not-for-profit organisation entirely run by a team of volunteers. We have a fantastic team who are enthusiastic and committed to keeping our Centre running, but we need a few more willing hands to help out with a number of tasks. If you have previously indicated you might be interested in helping out on committee is now the time?. Some of the roles we currently need some help with include newsletter co-editor (planning and collating content for Tiny Talk), parent education coordinator or bookings (booking members into courses, organizing hosts etc), social media co-ordinator (maintaining our social media presence on facebook and twitter) and a number of host and general admin tasks.

Many of the roles can be done from home and require as little as a few hours every month.

Just email [email protected] for more details

Some of the available positions

Parent Education Coordinator

Parent Education Bookings

Newsletter Co-editor

Librarian

Membership Discount Coordinator

Marketing Coordinator

Venue Coordinator

CPR/Choking Course Host

Moving & Munching Course Host

12 Months & Over Course Host

Baby Factory Liaison

Advocacy & Lobbying

Social Media Co-ordinator

Are you are starting to believe that all food comes served in plastic bowls and the latest chart hit starts with “The wheels on the bus”…?

We have the perfect solution to get you out and about and spend some time with adults, who understand what this parenting gig is all about.

West Auckland Parents Centre needs you to host a course. Hosting involves attending the course at Kelston Community Centre, setting up and making cups of tea, helping participants feel welcome and completing a small amount of paperwork for the course. In return, you are able to attend the course for free and also receive a small koha in return for your time and support of the parent education offered by WAPC.

Full training is provided.

Just email [email protected] for more details of up-coming courses you could host.

Get Involved—Be a class host!

CBE6/14 Mon 19 May to 23 Jun

CBE7/14 Tues 10 Jun to 15 Jul

CBE8/14 Sat 19 Jul & 2 Aug

CBE9/14 Mon 21 Jul to 25 Aug

CBE10/14 Tue 12 Aug to 16 Sep

CBE11/14 Mon 15th Sep to 20 Oct

CBE12/14 Tues 21 Oct to 25 Nov

CBE13/14 Sat 29 Nov & 13 Dec


Pre-bath

First, arrange the baby’s clothes in the order in which they will be put on. For example, bottom on pile should be the outer clothes, next the nappy, and on top the vest.

Lay out a towel and any other bathing products you need.

Place your baby on floor to kick while running the bath – I tend to take the nappy off so they can have some ‘nappy free’ time.

The room needs to be warm. Not draughty or too hot, ideally around 20 degrees Celsius.

Running the bath

How hot should the bath water be? The temperature of the water can vary from baby to baby, however it should not be extreme so neither lukewarm nor scalding hot.

Again the depth of the water varies from family to family but I always suggest around 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 centimeters). Check the bath by testing with your elbow; otherwise you can use a bath thermometer.

Remember as the bath is shallow, the water will cool off very quickly.

I tend to add olive oil to the bath – this helps with baby’s dry skin or skin issues. Just drizzle it in to the water like you would over a salad.

Eyes and Face

For newborns I tend to wash their face before putting them in the bath and using cotton wool squares for the eyes (a separate square for each eye) and a face cloth for the face. I tend to wet these under running warm water and then wash the eyes first, wiping from their inner eye (nose side) to the outer eye. Then I wash their face again from the inner to the outer. I dry their eyes and face before putting them in the bathtub.

Putting baby into the bath

With one arm holding the baby under the back of their neck (i.e. their neck rests on your inner wrist) and grasping their shoulder, your other hand under their bottom, lower the baby into the bath.

Your hand touches the water first so it's a double check to ensure the water is at the right temperature.

Remove hand from bottom and wash the baby in the following manner.

If bathing in the normal bathtub, once you have placed the baby in the water, you can let them free float as long as the water is not too deep. This gives you both hands free to wash the baby.

Hair/Scalp

Using a sponge or cloth, wet hair thoroughly. Use a very small amount of shampoo (do not squirt this directly onto their hair/scalp) and using your fingers, lightly clean the scalp area.

Rinse well, again using a sponge or cloth ensuring that you are rinsing their scalp as well as their hair.

Body

I only tend to wash under the neck, armpits and bottom. Babies do not get dirty; bathing is just to freshen them up. If using body soap, use sparingly and once again, only under the neck, armpits and bottom.

Turn the baby over onto their tummy and in doing

Bathing a baby By Dorothy Waide


this support their head by cupping their chin in your hand. This position enables you to wash the back crease of their bottom.

Remove the baby from the bath and place on the towel. Wrap the baby on the towel and carry them to wherever you are going to dry and dress them.

Drying the baby

Hair – you can firmly rub dry a baby’s hair ensuring that you are drying their scalp as well as their hair.

Dry behind their ears making sure that you get right into the crease and that you are pat drying the fold between the scalp and ear.

Also pat dry the baby’s skin – no rubbing. Dry under their neck, armpits making sure that you get right into their creases and dry the center and not just the outside parts of these creases.

Turn the baby over onto their tummies to dry the back of their neck, back crease of bottom and back of their knee creases.

Dry the palms of their hands and check between fingers and toes for fluff.

If you find the towel is too thick or difficult to get into

all the creases especially the neck ones then use a dry muslin cloth.

Dressing the baby

I like to dress the chest first, sometimes a little tricky with boys but as long as you are not too slow you can get the vest and nappy on before they have chance to wee. This is where laying out the clothes comes in handy as you start with the vest, followed by the nappy and finish with their remaining clothes.

How often should you bathe a baby?

This is optional, however, I like to incorporate it into a baby’s daily routine so I do it every evening at around the 5 to 6pm feed. It is not bathing a baby daily that can lead to problems with their skin; it is the length of time that you keep them in the bath water. Whilst babies may like lying in the water, it should take longer to undress and dry and dress a baby than the time spent washing them in the bath.

West Auckland Parents Centre

Benefits of membership

Your annual membership subscription helps to enable West Auckland Parents Centre to advocate for West Auckland families from pregnancy to school. In return your membership gives you :

12 month subscription (6 issues) to Kiwi Parent magazine, full of helpful articles, useful product information and great inspiration for Kiwi parents.

12 month subscription (6 issues) to our Tiny Talk magazine for local centre news, local events, upcoming parenting courses, and topical articles.

Discounted prices for West Auckland Parents Centre parenting courses.

Discounted prices on a range of quality baby products.

Discounted hireage.

Invitations to exclusive member only shopping days at selected major retails, such as The Baby Factory 20% discount day and Toy Factory pre Christmas sale.

Special member only discounts from WAPC Member Discount Scheme.

Special discounted membership rate for active committee members.

Free pregnancy, childbirth and parenting book library.

Coffee groups, support and social events.

One major purchase at The Baby Factory Member Discount Day would cover the cost of your annual membership.

One year membership $60

One year committee membership $20

Dorothy Waide is a qualified Karitane nurse and is often labelled as a “baby whisperer”. You can read about her services at

www.facebook.com/BabyWithin

http://www.facebook.com/BabyWithin


Parents Centre’s position statement on infant

feeding reads:

“Parents Centre believes that breastfeeding is the

best form of infant feeding and will promote this

position as breastfeeding has nutritional,

immunological and psychological benefits to the

infant. Parents Centre holds the position that it will

educate parents to enable them to make an informed

decision about infant feeding and support them in

their choice.”

Why breastfeeding?

Breast milk is indisputably nature’s way of making

little humans thrive. It contains all of the nutrients

and benefits of mum’s immunity. It is specially made

for baby’s different ages and stages (nature is very

clever!) and is all a baby needs until they are around

6 months old. Breast milk helps to protect babies

against infection and is free, safe, environmentally

friendly and ready to use!

Breastfeeding can be easy to establish, but

sometimes challenges do arise. It is important to find

out as much as you can about breastfeeding before

you have your baby, through antenatal classes,

researching online, and through quality resources

and books such as Best Feeding and The Womanly Art

of Breastfeeding (check out your Parents Centre

library for these and other titles). Through reading

and researching, new mums will better understand

the science of breastfeeding and, coupled with solid

support and encouragement, are much more likely to

successfully breastfeed.

Breastfeeding takes time to establish, and in the early

days it’s important to make time to do so. In the

early days, breastfeeding can be very time-consuming

and it may feel as if you are achieving little in your

day – but you are achieving a lot! You are caring for,

loving, and feeding your baby; you are giving them

everything they need. The more time you take to

relax and spend quality time in this new role in the

early weeks, the easier life will be.

Don’t underestimate the role of dad/the partner! The

support role of baby’s other main caregiver,

encouraging and helping wherever they can, and in

making mum comfortable and allowing her time to

establish breastfeeding, is critical to successful

breastfeeding.

It can take about 6–8 weeks to establish

breastfeeding and build up a good milk supply, and

where possible, mothers should delay returning to

the work environment as long as they possibly can. If

you are returning to work, your employer is required,

as far as it reasonable and practicable, to provide

appropriate breaks and facilities for employees who

wish to breastfeed their infants or express milk

during work hours.* More information on these

provisions can be found at https://

www.healthed.govt.nz/resource/breastfeeding-and-

working

*These provisions have been in place since 1 April

2009, under section 69Y of the Employment Relations

Act 2000. Further, The Employment Relations (Flexible

Working Arrangements) Amendment Act 2007

provides certain employees with the right to request a

variation to their hours of work, days of work, or

place of work. Check out details of the Act at http://

www.dol.govt.nz/er/bestpractice/worklife/

flexibleworkguide

If you are expressing breast milk and your baby is

under 3 months of age, all equipment will need to be

washed and sterilised to prevent baby from getting

sick. For babies over 3 months, all equipment and

containers need to be thoroughly washed and rinsed

but not necessarily sterilised.

You can store expressed breast milk in an airtight

container with a sealed lid for:

4 hours at room temperature (keep it cool in a

damp towel)

48 hours (2 days) in the fridge

2 weeks in the freezer box in the fridge

3–6 months in the separate freezer part of a

fridge-freezer

6 months in a separate chest freezer.

Infant Feeding

https://www.healthed.govt.nz/resource/breastfeeding-and-working



http://www.dol.govt.nz/er/bestpractice/worklife/flexibleworkguide




Always store breast milk in the bottom half of the

fridge or freezer, towards the back and away from

anything that may contaminate it – e.g. meat

products. Remember to put the date on the

container, and use the oldest milk first.

Be aware that artificial nipples – teats and dummies –

can interfere with the establishment of breastfeeding

so it is best to avoid these, especially in the early

weeks.

For more information on breastfeeding, visit:

www.breastfeeding.org.nz and

www.lalecheleague.org.nz

What happens when breastfeeding doesn’t go to

plan?

Breastfeeding may come with its challenges. In these

instances, it’s important to get help early. With the

right expert advice and assistance, and with a positive

mind-set, most breastfeeding obstacles can be

overcome.

So get help early

These places give help and information about

breastfeeding and can support you through what can

be a very difficult time getting breastfeeding

established.

A lactation consultant – these can be hospital-based

or private. Phone your local maternity hospital or

0800 452 282 (during the day) for contact details of a

lactation consultant near you.

Your midwife or other lead maternity carer (LMC).

Your local Parents Centre Childbirth Educator.

Well Care Provider, Plunket (your local Plunket nurse

and/or Family Centres)

La Leche League – for breastfeeding information and

breastfeeding support groups. Find a group near you

at www.lalecheleague.org.nz

What other options are there for infant feeding?

Milk sharing

Breast milk sharing is experiencing a revival, with new

mothers using online communities to help feed their

newborns with human breast milk. Yes, there are

networks in New Zealand which put mums wanting

donated breast milk and those with excess supply in

touch with each other:

See ‘Human Milk for Human Babies – New Zealand

Aotearoa’ on Facebook, or

‘Eats on Feets New Zealand’ on Facebook.

The milk-sharing network Human Milk 4 Human

Babies (HM4HB) is a steadily-growing community

with more than 15,000 members worldwide. Check

out their international website at www.hm4hb.net

The most common argument against milk sharing is

that there is the risk of disease from using

unscreened donors. Research suggests that the risk of

transmission of infectious diseases, such as hepatitis

and HIV, from sharing breast milk is minimal, as

donors are already breastfeeding their own babies

and generally are aware of the lifestyle required to

produce healthy human milk.

Formula feeding

If you have received professional help and

breastfeeding is not working out for you and your

family, or if you choose to, infant formula is an

option. Formula provides adequate nutrition for a

baby until they can start solids around the 6 month

age mark, however it does not provide the

immunological and health benefits that breast milk

gives your baby.

For further information on formula feeding, you can

refer to the Ministry of Health website link as follows:

https://www.healthed.govt.nz/resource/feeding-your

-baby-infant-formula It tells you everything you need

to know in one easy link.

Your midwife, and your Well Care Provider, such as

Plunket and Parents Centre Childbirth Educator, can

provide assistance and support – do not hesitate to

contact them.

Advice from Parents Centre

Parents Centre is clear on our position: We promote

breastfeeding as the best and normal form of infant

feeding. We offer our support and encouragement to

all parents, whatever journey they take and whatever

path they choose, or end up taking. We recommend

you contact your Well Care Provider, Childbirth

Educator or Lactation Consultant for further

information on feeding your baby. Some Centres

offer phone contacts or support networks for baby

feeding.

http://www.lalecheleague.org.nz

http://www.lalecheleague.org.nz

http://www.hm4hb.net

https://www.healthed.govt.nz/resource/feeding-your-baby-infant-formula

https://www.healthed.govt.nz/resource/feeding-your-baby-infant-formula


What is listeria?

Listeria is a common bacterium, which can cause an

uncommon but potentially serious illness called

listeriosis. Listeria is found widely in soil, water, and

plants and in the droppings and faeces of animals and

humans.

How do people get listeriosis?

Listeriosis is a food-borne infection that results from

eating contaminated food. In particular, ready-to-eat

products and foods with a long refrigerated shelf life

are often linked to outbreaks of listeria.

Who is at serious risk of listeriosis?

Pregnant women and their unborn babies

Newborn babies

What are the symptoms?

It takes between a few days and a few weeks for

symptoms to show up. After being infected with

listeria, you may have no symptoms at all or you may

become ill with:

mild fever

headache

aches and pains.

You may also feel sick or vomit.

In a small number of cases these symptoms can

progress to more severe forms of the illness, such as

meningitis and blood poisoning.

In pregnant women, symptoms may be mild, but the

consequences can be severe as listeriosis can result in

miscarriage, premature birth or stillbirth and can also

cause severe infection in the newborn baby.

If you think you might have listeriosis, see your

doctor.

How can listeriosis be prevented?

The risk of serious illness from listeria infection can

be reduced by safe food handling practices. Listeria is

one of the few food bacteria that will grow on food

even if it’s in the fridge and can withstand freezing. It

is wise to store any perishable food in the fridge, but

it is also important to use it within two days.

Safety with food

You can keep food safe by:

avoiding cross-contamination by keeping

cooked foods and ready-to-eat foods separate

from raw and unprocessed foods

washing your hands, utensils and chopping

boards before preparing different foods, to

avoid cross-contamination

cooking food thoroughly

eating freshly cooked food as soon as possible

after cooking

storing leftover foods in cleaned sealed

containeres in a fridge and using within two

days

reheating leftover food thoroughly so that it is

steaming hot, that is, above 72°C. (Take special

care to heat thoroughly and evenly when using

a microwave oven by stirring frequently.)

washing and drying whole raw fruit and

vegetables thoroughly

ensuring that food is eaten before the use-by

date

cleaning the fridge regularly and checking that

the temperature is between 2–4°C.

Unsafe foods for people at risk:

uncooked, smoked or ready-to-eat fish or

seafood, including oysters, smoked ready-to-eat

fish, sashimi or sushi*

paté, hummus-based dips and spreads

ham and all other chilled pre-cooked meat

products including chicken, and fermented or

dried sausages such as salami*

Avoiding Listeria


Homemade Finger Paint Fun! You will need: 1/2 cup of cornstarch or 1 cup of flour 4 tablespoons of sugar 2 cups of cold water A pinch of salt Food colouring Directions: Stir all ingredients together in a medium saucepan Cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes Stir the mixture until it is smooth and thick Turn off the heat and let cool Once cool, separate into containers and add colouring Store with lids tight so the paint won’t dry out

Playtime

pre-prepared or stored salads (including fruit

salads) and coleslaws

raw (unpasteurised) milk and any food that

contains unpasteurised milk*

soft-serve ice creams

soft, semi-soft or surface-ripened soft cheese

(eg, brie, camembert, feta, ricotta, roquefort)*.

* Note that these foods are safe to eat if heated

thoroughly to steaming hot, that is, above 72°C,

where appropriate.

Safer foods for people at risk:

freshly cooked foods

pasteurised dairy foods, eg,

milk, UHT milk, yoghurt

hard cheese (eg, cheddar, colby, edam)

processed cheese, cheese spread, cottage

cheese and cream cheese. Eat these cheeses

within two days of opening the pack.

Purchase all cheese in sealed packs, in small

quantities and use by the use-by date.

freshly washed vegetables and fruit

freshly prepared salads

bread and baked foods without cream or

custard

dried food

cereals

beverages.

More information

Your local public health service can give you more

information on food preparation, storage and safety;

talk to your doctor or nurse or contact the Ministry

for Primary Industries - food safety group, http://

www.foodsafety.govt.nz/ or Freephone 0800 693

721.

Information courtesy of The Ministry of Health and

adapted for use

https://www.healthed.govt.nz/resource/food-safety-

avoiding-listeria

.

http://www.foodsafety.govt.nz/

http://www.foodsafety.govt.nz/


Venue Coordinator

Do you love to organise and have an eye for detail? Can you help?

Then this is the role for you. We are looking for someone to organise all of our venue bookings. We do not have our own premise and therefore hire our rooms from the Council and other organisations. You will be liaising with our course bookings officers, other committee members as necessary and the Council to ensure that everything is booked, keys are with the right people and that everything is in order to make a smooth running class.

Volunteer Opportunities At West Auckland Parents Centre

To apply for any of our volunteer positions or to find out more contact us on

837 8481, or [email protected]

Marketing Coordinator We need a person to help market & publicise

West Auckland Parents Centre including liaise

with local press, assist with the advertising of

courses and services, designing brochures &

posters, compiling marketing lists and

generally promote what we do. You will work

closely with the Parent Education team to

come up with ideas on how we can market

courses and be actively involved in helping

build/promote other areas of West Auckland

Parents Centre business. This role would take

around 2-3 hours per week but there is the

opportunity build it to more if you were really

keen. There is also a monthly committee

meeting.

Course Host - Moving, Munching and Motoring Are you a people person? Be honest because

we have the perfect role for you! Become a

hostess for our Moving, Munching and

Motoring Classes. Liase with the Educator and

participants. Set up the room and provide the

classes with info on products we

stock. Communicate with the class regarding

WAPC services and enjoy the social

interaction. Come join the team today.


Moving, Munching

&

Motoring

This is a two-part daytime course for parents of 4-7 month old babies.

The first session covers starting solids, crawling to walking, developmental toys, and safety. Participants receive a free copy of the fabulous recipe book Baby Food and Beyond by Alison and Simon Holst.

The second session covers Top 10 car seat mistakes and what you can do to avoid making them in your car, how to choose a car seat to best suit your family and ensure it is correctly fitted in all situations. You will also see some of the latest research into keeping kids safe in cars, including why it is best to keep your child rear facing as long as their car seat will allow.

Sessions are 2 hours on two consecutive Fridays, 10am—12am at Kelston Community Centre, Activity Room 1.

Our next course commences: 11 April. Please contact us.

Members: $40, support person free

Non members: $50, support person $15

NOTE: If you wish to book into JUST the motoring session, this costs $20 for members, $25 for non-members, and $40 for non-members bringing a partner.

Parent Education

Baby

& You

This is a 4-part daytime course covering essentials for parents in the ‘4th tri-mester’ (newborn to 4 months). Sessions include sleeping & settling, life chang-es, baby massage, and child development. It’s designed to help you understand and cope with your role as a new parent, or to refresh your skills if you’re doing it for another time around.

Each week we have a different expert speaker to pass on knowledge and ideas, and take your questions.

The course runs for four weeks and each session is 2 hours from 10am– 12pm,

at Kelston Community Centre, Committee Room.

Our next course commences: 7th April. Please contact us.

Members: $50, support person free


CPR &

Choking

Know what to do in an emergency! This Saturday morning course is designed to give you hands on experience in CPR and choking skills. An essential class for all parents and caregivers of children under five, led by a qualified, experienced paramedic.

The course runs from 10am—12pm on a Saturday morning at Kelston Community Centre, Main Hall.

Our next courses commence: 12 April & 17 May Please contact us.

Members: $20, support person $10


Parenting Courses


with West Auckland Parents Centre

Chosen by parents like you, we have some fantastic products with some great savings, and ultimately you gain again as all profits go back into our centre to serve your community. Here is just a short selection from our online shop, sure to suit any budget. Order online www.westaucklandparents.org.nz/store

Eardrops Journey CD, Sounds of City/Country/

Home $15

Little Snuggles Muslim Wrap Set

$20

People Puppies Taggie Blanket

$16

Strawberry Jam Merino Wrap

$45

Amber Teething Beads $36

NZ Pregnancy Book $40 (Save $15!)

Shopping for Baby and You

http://www.westaucklandparents.org.nz/store


For more baby products discounted for WAPC members, see www.westaucklandparents.org.nz

Kimberly Collection Woollen Blanket

$66

Bellaroo Cotton Sling

$60 Womama Birthing Wrap

$99


SCAMPS BOUTIQUE - Scamps Boutique, eco products for mum, baby and child. Members who visit us online at www.scamps.co.nz will receive 10% off orders by using the code WAPC. 5% of all orders using the WAPC code will go to the West Auckland Parents Centre.

SPORTS4TOTS - Our fun, structured programmes provide preschoolers with a grounding for an active future in sport. Give us a call on 974-3644, let us know that you are a WAPC member and you will receive a 10% discount.

www.sports4tots.co.nz

GRASSHOPPER KNEES Learning Leaps is a programme with books, toys and fun and easy tips, games and activities to grow kids’ intelligence over all areas so they get the balance they need to fully reach their potential and do well in school. WAPC members who shop online at www.grasshopperknees.co.nz and enter the code parent1 will receive a 10% discount.

TOYWORLD HENDERSON AND WESTGATE

Toyworld is New Zealand’s largest retail chain of specialist toy stores with the biggest range of toys, games, puzzles, and indoor & outdoor

activities available in New Zealand. Henderson Megastore and Westgate store offer WAPC members 10% off all full priced products (some conditions apply).

HARVEY NORMAN HENDERSON Electrical Department - Come visit us at Harvey Norman Henderson and upon showing your WAPC member card to one of our friendly sales team you will receive a 10% discount in our electrical department on not already discounted products (some

conditions and exclusions may apply).

FIT FIT FIT provide group exercise programmes for new mums and mums-to-be using the most up to date research available. WAPC Members will receive a 10% discount on Fit Bumps and Fit Mums classes. Call us on 360-0620 or check us out online at www.fitfitfit.co.nz

KID ACTIVE HOLIDAY PROGRAMMES - With over 100 courses to choose from, Kidactive offers a huge range of fun hands on experiences for children aged 4 and older. Give us a call on 974 5135, let us know that you are a WAPC member and you will receive a 10% discount. www.kidactive.co.nz

BABY ON THE MOVE - The Baby On The Move team are specialists in the rental and sales of all baby products and services. Come in store for some great savings, including 10% off all hires with a WAPC card.

BREASTMATES - Breastmates is all about motherhood. With maternity wear, breastfeeding clothes & accessories, body care & baby gear, members get free postage using the discount code: WESTPC at checkout. See www.breastmates.co.nz

WAPC Member Discounts

Discounts & Benefits

http://www.breastmates.co.nz/

Your Fast Shop

EASY SHOPPING—EASY FUND-

RAISING

Step 1: Go to

www.yourfastshop.co.nz

Select: W est Auckland Parents

Centre

Start: Brow sing your favourite

stores.

That’s it!

No parking, no petrol costs, no aching

feet!

Great deals at great stores, including

Apple, Ezibuy fashion, Mighty Ape

Toys, and FREE DVD rental at Fatso.

Save $70 on printer ink and other items

at Snatch A Deal

Do you have a hidden talent you would like to share?

Become a volunteer with

West Auckland Parents Centre!

Check out our current opportunities in

this issue.


Committee Meeting

Interested in volunteering? You can attend a committee meeting to see if it’s for you.

Meetings are held on the 3rd Wednesday of every month.

Please email [email protected] if you would like to attend.

West Auckland

La Leche League West Auckland La Leche League

welcomes mothers and pregnant women to their monthly meetings for

encouragement, support and discussion on a wide range of breastfeeding, mothering and

parenting issues.

No booking required

Kelston Community Centre,

Activity Room 2

Cnr Awaroa & Great North Rd, Kelston

2nd Tuesday of every month, 9.45am

Coffee morning 4th Tuesday

of every month, please call

for details

For further information or

breastfeeding help, please contact

an accredited Leader:

Slingbabies Find out how to wear your baby.

First Friday of every month, 10am to 12pm

Sturges West Community House,

58 Summerland Dr, Henderson

ww.slingbabies.co.nz

Did you give birth at Waitakere

Hospital ?

Waitakere Maternity Unit values

feedback about the service they

offer to the women and families

in our community.

Sue Fitzgerald, Community Manager, and Helen Ngatai, Facility Manager, would be very open to any invitations to visit groups of women who have birthed at Waitakere Hospital and who would like to give feedback on their experiences.

Email Sue [email protected]


When and how often does your coffee group meet?

Usually for morning tea – fortnightly.

What stage are your babies at? What is the boy girl ratio?

4—5 months old.

What Is the boy/girl ratio?

6 Boys, 5 girls.

What other activities has your coffee group tried?

Wriggle & Rhyme, Pram walks, Café Outings.

Being a parent has taught you....

Stephanie - Patience, Love, and the smiles & cuddles

make it all worth it.

Maria - It’s the hardest job in the world! But the

most rewarding one. It has taught me to be patient

& that things cannot always be perfect. Sometimes

you can’t dictate your day as you wish & that the

here & now is what matters. It has taught me that

this craziness is ok and that every day is a new

adventure & new learning experience.

Ghaz – I can’t always fix or control the situation but

to keep looking for solutions. Being patient. The

unconditional love you feel. I don’t need 8 hours

sleep every night to function.

Juliet – Time management, love and patience.

Sarah – A new respect for all women, especially mothers. Acceptance, love & perseverance. Best baby product you’ve tried?

Stephanie – Miracle Blanket, Barrier Cream, Infacol,

Disposable Nappies.

Maria – All of them! Anything that makes things

easier! Dummies, swaddle wraps and sleep wedge.

Ghaz – Angel Care Baby Monitor (for peace of mind),

front-pack, baby bouncer & Ranitidine (for reflux).

Juliet – Ergobaby Carrier (would be lost without it)

Sarah – Zip or Velcro swaddles & “The Wonder Weeks” book. What have been the greatest challenges so far?

Stephanie – Lack of sleep, dealing with crying,

conflicting advice & the total change of our lives.

Maria – Breastfeeding.

Ghaz – Breastfeeding & day sleeping.

Juliet – A baby whose sleep got worse rather than

better like you’re told!

Sarah – Breastfeeding, The upheaval a baby brings to your relationship, constantly wondering if I am doing the right thing, and adapting to an ever-changing baby! What’s the best thing about being in this coffee group?

Stephanie - It is a small group where everyone is

dealing with the same challenges. Sharing

experiences. Everyone is honest & helpful.

Maria – We are all in the same boat and we are all

honest with each other which is what you need. And

we have fun!

Ghaz – Support, advice and understanding.

Juliet – Our honesty. We aren’t afraid to admit our

difficulties and ask each other for ideas.

Sarah – The honesty, support, humour and understanding. Any tips for new parents?

Stephanie – Be flexible and willing to take advice and

adjust expectations because nothing goes to plan.

Ask for and accept help. The first 10-12 weeks are

the hardest. Lack of sleep will be difficult to deal with

so sleep when you can. Breastfeeding isn’t as easy as

everyone says and it does hurt.

Maria - Be patient! Nothing can prepare you for this,

but you learn as you go. Ask for help when you need

it, and whatever decision you make will be good and

Round The Coffee Cups Chat from inside one of our coffee groups By Stephanie, Maria, Ghaz, Juliet & Sarah

Sponsored by


don’t feel guilty about it. And enjoy – time goes fast.

Ghaz – Don’t feel that you’re a failure if things don’t

go according to the books. Breastfeeding is an art

and takes a lot of practice – in some cases it is not

possible to breastfeed and that’s ok.

Juliet – Caffeine. And try not to wish away those

early weeks – they go so quickly anyway!

Sarah – Establish a bedtime/naptime routine as soon as possible so baby associates this with sleep. You’re not going to enjoy every minute and that’s ok/normal. Sometimes babies are what they are, and sometimes you need to take action if you want things to change – so don’t be afraid to experiment a little!

Tell us about your coffee group and

receive a $50 voucher for your

coffee group to use at Mozaik

Email us for more info



Ph. 837 8481 (answerphone) PO Box 83-192, Edmonton, Auckland 0652

www.westaucklandparents.org.nz

Committee Contacts President Teresa Cooper [email protected]

Vice President Daniel Mapletoft [email protected]

Secretary Rebecca Crewe-Lui [email protected]

Co-Treasurers Catherine Matson

Megan Barnwell [email protected]

Membership Coordinator Teresa Cooper [email protected]

Parent Education Coordinator Can you help? [email protected]

Parent Education Bookings Can you help? [email protected]

Products Coordinator Christine Militoni [email protected]

Newsletter Editor Daniel Mapletoft [email protected]

E-News Editor Muirie Cook [email protected]

Newsletter Advertising Muirie Cook [email protected]

Grants & Fundraising Coordinator Jess ie May [email protected]

Librarian Can you help? [email protected]

Membership Discount Coordinator Can you help? [email protected]

Website Coordinator Jessica Vroegop [email protected]

Marketing Coordinator Can you help? [email protected]

Events Coordinator Lydia Dunn [email protected]

Venue Coordinator Can you help? [email protected]

Volunteer Admin Coordinator Jess Maher [email protected]

Childbirth Education Convenor Carolyn Nielsin [email protected]

Childbirth Education Bookings Amanda Galt [email protected]

Baby & You Course Host Nicola Mapletoft [email protected]

CPR/Choking Course Host Can you help? [email protected]

Moving & Munching Course Host Can you help? [email protected]

12 Months & Over Course Host Can you help? [email protected]

Baby Factory Liaison Can you help? [email protected]

Advocacy & Lobbying Can you help? [email protected]

Social Media Co-ordinator Can you help? [email protected]

https://www.facebook.com/christine.militoni

https://www.facebook.com/jess.grinsteadsacroug


Support Services Healthline (24 hours)

0800 611 166

www.healthline.co.nz

La Leche League (Breastfeeding)

Adith 834 1234 or

Kristi 824 7019

Rebecca 412 8369

Kiri 32 9082

www.lalecheleague.org.nz

National Poisons Centre

0800 POISON (0800 764 744)

www.poison.co.nz

Miscarriage Support Auckland

378 4060

www.miscarriagesupport.org.nz

Parent to Parent Special Needs Children Support

0508 236 236

www.parent2parent.org.nz

Plunket 838 0981

Plunket Car Seat (Waitemata)

837 1871

6E Enterprise Drive, Henderson

Plunket Family Centre

836 5730

Woodford Avenue, Henderson

Womens Refuge 8361987

www.womensrefuge.org.nz

Trauma & Birth Stress Support Group

575 7404 www.tabs.org.nz

Post Natal Distress

846 6967

www.postnataldistress.org.nz

Work & Income (WINZ)

0800 559 009

www.workandincome.govt.nz

Working for Families

0800 257 477

www.workingforfamilies.govt.nz

Waitakere Hospital Breastfeeding Classes

Adith 838 9362 or

Barbara 838 1566

Parent Aid 836 4122

Playcentres 8278649

Citizens Advice Bureau

Glen Eden 818 8634

Henderson 836 4118

Massey 833 5775 New Lynn 827 4731

Asthma New Zealand

630 2293

www.asthma-nz.org.nz

Immunisation Advisory Centre

377 7966

www.immune.org.nz

Allergy New Zealand

0800 34 0800 www.allergy.org.nz

Childcare Advisory

www.childcareadvisor.co.nz

Dial-a-Mum West Auckland Parents Centre have a

wonderful team of people who are a good

source of information for many common

and not so common pregnancy and

parenting. This is a free and confidential

service. Our support people have

information on organisations that can help

if we are unable to.

Breastfeeding— Nicole Snook 837 2501

Bottle Feeding—Nicola Mapletoft 832 5353

Post Natal Distress—Eileen Joy 818 8845

Miscarriage—Nicola Mapletoft 823 5353

Caesarean—Nicole Snook 837 2501

Homebirth—Eileen Joy 818 8845

Premature Birth—Amanda Galt 820 8085

Same Sex Parenting—Kristal O’Neill 832 8456

If you have any other queries or need advice or help with any other issue please leave your details on our answerphone 837 8481, for one of our committee members to contact you.

Parent Support


Advertising & Newsletter Contributions West Auckland Parents Centre is an entirely voluntary organisation run by parents, for parents. Our advertisers help us to produce this newsletter to over 200 families with children up to five years old in West Auckland, as well as midwives, and other organisations that support young families.

Ad type Single issue Pre-pay 3 issues Prepay 6 issues

Full page $75 $70 ($210) $65 ($390)

Half page $45 $40 ($120) $35 ($210)

Quarter page $35 $30 ($90) $25 ($150)

Inside cover $80 $75 ($225) $70 ($420)

Back of magazine $85 $80 ($240) $75 ($450)

Prices quoted are per issue and include GST.

Brochure Insert: We can include your flyer or brochure in our newsletter and Kiwi Parent Magazine mail-out for a cost of $100. Material must be forwarded to the Distribution Centre by the deadline.

E-News: Our e-News goes out to over 300 members each month. We can include your advertisement in our e-News for $35 per issue.

Newsletter Contributions: We would love to hear from you with any contributions or requests for articles. Send your material or requests by email to: [email protected]. Should you wish to contribute to our June/July 2014 issue, the deadline for copy is 1st May 2014.

For more information please contact our Newsletter

or Newsletter Advertising volunteers, see opposite

page for details.

Postnatal Distress Support Group Meeting

Every Monday 10am-12noon.

Please call PND Support Network for more information and support or to see if this

group is right for you. For more info

call 836 6967 or go to www.postnataldistress.org.nz

Cloth Nappy Workshops

Pukekohe

Wednesday 9th April, 10:00am - 12:00pm

Franklin The Centre - Stevensen Room 10 Massey Avenue, Pukekohe Kelston

Thursday 10th April, 7:30pm - 9:30pm

Kelston Community Centre - Activity Room 2 Corner Awaroa & Great North Roads For more info, costs and bookings visit:

http://www.thenappylady.co.nz/workshops-auckland.html



Documents

West Auckland Parents Centre Issue 185