West Auckland Parents Centre Issue 186

Tiny Talk

Positive birth experiences and informed par-enting in a community

Jun — Jul 2014|186

Visit us online

Birth Story Anna and Amelia

This issue

Babywearing in Winter

Rainy Day Ideas for

Preschoolers

Outdoor Explorers

Keeping Warm & Healthy

this Winter .

9 Parenting Words To Live

By

WAPC Interviews...

West Auckland Parents Centre

West Auckland Parents Centre 3

From the Editor Well, that’s summer well and truly over isn’t it? Thanks to plenty of insulation we haven’t had to dig the heater out yet, but it’s been pretty close a couple of times.

I really enjoyed the frosts we had recently. It reminded me that it used to be almost a daily occurrence when I lived in Christchurch, and now, living in Waiuku we were treated to the wonderful scenery of beautiful white paddocks.

I’d never thought about it, but it was the first time Ryan had ever experienced a frost and he didn’t really know what to make of it. Was it some kind of snow? Or had the fog done something weird? He was full of questions and very interested in the answers. Its very cool to experience something familiar anew through a child’s eye. It filled me with a new appreciation of a child’s life.

I have to express a massive thank you to the WAPC committee and Jess Maher Williamson in particular for helping me gather the content for this issue. It’s all about winter and helping your children experience the wonder that the season can bring. Also included is a thought provoking article by Janet Lansbury and an interview I conducted with Vicki Savage, a SCBU nurse at Waitakere Hospital.

I hope you enjoy this issue.

Takuss!

Daniel

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—Carolyn Nielson 5

Getting to know the people behind WAPC.

Babywearing in Winter 6

Keeping your precious ones warm and close

Rainy Day Ideas for Preschoolers 7

Stop your little ones going nuts!

Outdoor Explorers 10

Our new intrepid playgroup ventures forth

Birth Story 12

Anna & Amelia.

Keeping Warm & Healthy this Winter 14

Keeping your house toasty.

9 Parenting Words To Live By 16

Blogger & Educator Janet Lansbury.

Baby Colds, Coughs & Flu 19

What to look for, what to do.

Mother’s Day Basket Giveaway 22

Our annual visit to Waitakere Hospital.

WAPC Interviews... 26

SCBU Nurse Vicki Savage.

Regular Features From the President 4

WAPC Volunteers of the Month 23

Birthdays 24

Welcome to our World 25

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 As I write this, it definitely feels like winter has

arrived and with that comes, what seems like a

momentous task at times, figuring out ways to

entertain your kids despite the weather. This year

will definitely mean I need to figure it out. This time

last year, my youngest was only 2 months old and we

spent most of winter snuggled inside. This year I think

both kids will be rearing to be outdoors! The ideas in

this issue of Tiny Talk will definitely come in handy in

any kind of weather.

15th - 21st June is National Parents Centre week and

to celebrate, West Auckland Parents Centre are

pleased to announce that we will be running a Sleep

and Settling class with Dorothy Waide - one of New

Zealand's most knowledgeable authorities on infant

and toddler care. The class will be on Saturday 21st

June 10am - 12pm at Kelston Community Centre and

will cost $10 for members and $20 for non-members.

If you would like to attend, please email

[email protected]. It's a great

opportunity for partners to attend as well.

West Auckland Parents Centre can not run without

volunteers and whilst we have a fantastic team, we

are still in need of some more help especially with

hosting our classes. If you would like to host a class,

are interested in any of the roles we currently have

vacant or simply would like more information, please

email [email protected].

This will be my last "From the President" column as I

will be stepping down as President and retiring from

the West Auckland Parents Centre committee at our

AGM at the end of June. I have thoroughly enjoyed

my time as part of the committee and as President,

although it has had its challenging moments and we,

as a committee, have had to make some tough

decisions but it is time for me to move on. I would

like to take this opportunity to say to all the current

and ex committee members that I have worked with -

you are all amazing and I am glad to have gotten to

know each and every one of you. Thank you for all

your support - both for myself and the centre. I know

how much of a struggle it can be at times to be a

mum, a partner, an employee and then to find time

to volunteer as well as try and find some time for

yourself. Your efforts are much appreciated and the

Centre could not exist without you.

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 — Carolyn Nielson Hi, my name is Carolyn Nielson and I'm married to Paul and we have a 20 month old son, Matthew and our second child is due at the end of July. I'm a stay at home mum and also assist my husband with his mechanical business.

My role is the Childbirth Education Coordinator and this involves putting together all the information that is given out at the antenatal classes and organising the hosts for the classes.

I enjoy meeting new people and being able to give something back to a community organisation that relies on volunteers to keep it running. We went through West Auckland Parents Centre for our antenatal classes and so I felt it was a good opportunity to help an organisation that had helped us.


One thing to think about is layering. Of course, you

will be dressing both yourself and baby in warmer

clothes anyway during the upcoming months. Having

a few thinner layers, rather than one thicker layer on

top gives you a bit more flexibility in how warm you

both are. This can be beneficial when babywearing

during winter, especially if you are out walking. Your

carrier also provides another layer of warmth. Wraps

in particular offer more warmth than other carriers,

as they are layered themselves. This can be great in

the winter when other carriers may require you to

wear warmer clothing.

With any carrier, you can add something over the top

of both you and baby. Of course, this is not

necessary, you can just add extra layers for you and

baby as needed under your carrier, if you prefer.

Wearing something over both of you means that you

just have to take an item off yourself, rather than one

off both of you, and has the added benefit of not

having to take baby off to remove the outer layer

when you reach your destination. This is particularly

useful if baby is asleep! Here are some options for

this:

A babywearing coat. These are specifically designed

to be big enough, and the right shape, to fit both

mum and baby in. There are options within this for

wearing baby on the front or on the back, but all have

baby facing in toward the wearer. Babywearing

raincoats are also available. Some of the brands on

the market are Suse’s Kinder Coats, Lenny Lamb, and

Liliputi Mama Coat. If you go with an option that is

not waterproof, you can use a big umbrella that

covers both you and baby if you get caught in the

weather.

Another option is a babywearing poncho. This is a

similar concept, but is a circular piece of fabric with a

hole in the middle for the wearer’s head, and one for

baby’s. Again, these can be worn front and back.

Some brands on the market are MamaPoncho,

Babyette and Classic Mama Babywearing Poncho.

There are also patterns online, so you can make one

yourself. On the subject of making it yourself, a quick

and easy option is to get a sweater that is too big,

and modify it. You can alter it to have an extra

opening for baby, either on the front or on the back.

For front carrying, you can just get a jacket big

enough to fit over you and baby, and do it up as far as

needed for baby to have a safe and comfortable ride.

There are also baby covers, which typically are for

front carries only. These often attach to the straps of

the carrier, so they are only good for soft structured

carriers and frontpacks. Some companies that make

carriers also make these; such as Ergo and Bjorn.

Often, little one’s legs get exposed while

babywearing. This is due to their seated position.

There are several ways to compensate for this. You

can put extra long socks on your child, either under

their trousers, or over the top of close fitting trousers

or leggings, to hold in more warmth. Longer trousers

or leggings is another option, a couple of sizes bigger

than what your child currently wears. Thick winter

tights are also good for keeping little legs and ankles

protected from the cold. Another option here is

legwarmers. Legwarmers are easy to take on and off

as needed, and can either go underneath trousers, or

you can tuck close fitting trousers in to them. These

and tights also often have really cute patterns on

them!

Above all, make sure baby is in a safe position

whenever you carry them, no matter the season.

Now that you have some ideas for staying warm and

dry, get babywearing this winter!

- Keri Gubb, Slingbabies

Babywearing in Winter Snuggly and warm, cosy in a cuddle. Wintertime baby wearing can be a wonderful way to

keep you and baby warm, while staying nice and close. Here are a few ideas about how

to snuggle up close, and also stay dry during the wetter months.


Messy Play Inside - laying down a towel or sheet

before starting an inside messy play activity helps

hugely when it comes to cleaning up! Shredded paper

or coloured rice are interesting sensory activities that

are both dry & relatively easy to clean up after.

Though there is no need for specific items or tools for

this, general kitchen items & water make a fun &

entertaining combination for toddlers alone!

Sharnie Hill - “My 21 month old likes to play with

coloured water, flour, pots and pans and whisks -

messy play inside. Just put down an old towel... and

away the imagination goes.”

No Mess Painting - if

you want to avoid the

mess of actually getting

the paints out for messy

play, another idea is to

put a mixture of

different coloured

paints inside a seal tight

plastic bag & let little

fingers (or trains!)

explore mixing the

colours and making

patterns. Make sure to seal the ziplock with some

heavy duty tape though as this should stop leaks.

Taping the bag down on a piece of white cardboard

or up on a window can also help.

Make a Hut - whether it's indoors with pillows and

blankets or outside to shelter from the rain, hut

making is great fun for kids and parents alike and

always a huge hit!

Cardboard construction - what you can construct is

really limited only to the imagination! If you have

large boxes, a parent could cut out windows & a door

to make a house or castle, create a spaceship or car

just for some ideas! Smaller boxes, cardboard tubes,

egg cartons and some glue or tape makes for great

kid friendly construction materials. Grabbing out

some crayons, pencils or paints to decorate their

constructions is a great extension of this activity.

Even just a finding a box large enough to sit in and

providing some vivids or crayons is a cool activity as it

allows them to draw all around themselves.

Rainy Day Ideas for Preschoolers

As the days get colder & wetter, it can be easy to go a little stir crazy with bored kids stuck indoors. I reached out to some fellow Playcentre parents to draw together some ideas & their favourite activities that might help inspire some rainy day fun for your family!

Playcentres run mixed aged sessions from birth to six years and are a great way for parents and children to meet new friends and get out and enjoy all sorts play no matter the weather. To find your local Playcentre and learn more check out www.teakoranga.org.nz


Sharnie Hill - “I have a 6 year old too and we all like

to draw, cut out, glue and construct all manner of

things. Huts are big too! Other times we do co-

operative baking as well. We have lots of wooden

blocks and they get mixed with trucks and other

transportation vehicles...... other days, it's outside

running around with umbrellas!”

Measuring Rainfall - Stock up on a variety of containers

and buckets, absorbent (sponges) and non-absorbent

(plastic) materials to collect, channel, transport and

measure rainfall. Drawing chalk outlines around

puddles to watch how they grow or evaporate could

provide another great outdoor experiment for young

ones.

Olga Sankley shared a quote

she was told about winter

activities with kids, “there is no

bad weather.. Only bad

clothing.”

Outdoor play - winter provides

a different set of opportunities

for learning and playing

outside. It pays to be prepared

and plan ahead to make things

easier but as adults we all to

commonly forget the wonder

found in simply experiencing

nature. Why not grab some

gumboots and a rain jacket &

explore the season outside!

From splashing in puddles and

dancing in the rain drops, just

experiencing the extreme

elements that the season has

to offer is stimulation &

excitement in itself!

Sian Brennan - “In the back

yard we would splash in

puddles, search for worms

because they come up from

under the ground, draw with

chalk because wet chalk looks

great, sprinkle tempura powder

for fun art, make a rain gauge,

dig a mud pit in the corner of

the garden. Rainy days are also great for going bush

walking. And make huts! My kids love to make shelters

to hide in the rain.”

- Compiled by Jess Williamson

Jess is mum to Joshua, who is 18 months. They joined

the SPACE program at Massey Playcentre when Josh

was just three weeks old. They have since joined West

Harbour Playcentre where they have started at a new

session on a Friday morning from 9.15-12.15 with a

group a kids a similar age. If you are interested in

coming along to see what playcentre is all about please

contact [email protected]



This preschooler playgroup meets on the first Monday

of the month at a different West Auckland park &

playground. Enquires or feedback welcomed, please

contact [email protected]

We met together for our first Outdoor Explorer’s

preschooler playgroup this morning in rather wet

weather! We meet at the playground at Xena Park on

Lake Panorama Drive, Henderson. We went for a

short walk around the Lake and tried feeding the

ducks at the platform half way around the pond.

After continuing back to the playground, where we

tried out the different things and sheltered a little

from the rain for a wee picnic under the playground!

The walk around the Lake is reasonably preschooler

friendly, though some of the wooden parts of the

path were a bit slippery in the wet. It would be

perfect for prams, not that any of us happened to

have one with us today. There are no steps and the

path is relatively even. There is a road to cross in

between the duck pond walk and the playground

however there is a chain fence at the edge of the

playground. The seesaw, climbing frame and swings

were all a hit, the seesaw particularly was a rather

good one for little ones! The platform of the

playground is rather high and the slides were

particularly

fast in the

wet, which

some of the

boys did

really like!

We

developed a

wee report

card to form a collective opinion of the park, walk

and playground. Our participants this time rated the

park an average of 9.2 / 10 for quality of park and

walk, 8.8 / 10 for quality of playground, 9.2 / 10 for

cleanliness and maintenance, and 9.3 / 10 for

convenience and accessibility. The only down sides

noted were that there is no covered area to shelter

from the rain, and no toilets nearby, but aside from

this everyone enjoyed the walk and the kids had fun

playing on the playground in the rain!

Our first preschooler playgroup, Outdoor Explorers, is

set to take place on Monday morning at 10am. We

asked for feedback on the Facebook event we listed

and the poll results are in!

Our first visit will be to Xena Park Playground, Lake

Panorama Rd, Henderson. The park is about halfway

Outdoor Explorers WAPC Playgroup

Exploration 1 - Xena Park Playground, Lake Panaroma Rd, Henderson


down the road on the right hand side if you are

coming from the Sturges Rd end. We will meet at the

playground then take a short walk around the duck

pond and feed the ducks before returning to the

playground for a play! Look out for our pram flags if

you can’t find us or feel free to text Jess on

0226714060. Look forward to seeing & exploring with

you!


Birth Story

Anna and Amelia Anyone that knows me will know that I am a very

organised, well prepared, on time person.

When I left work to go on maternity leave one of my

colleagues commented that my baby would definitely

be born on its due date and wouldn’t dare be late! So

when my due date came along I thought positively

that I would go into labour. The hours ticked by on

Saturday and by lunch time there was still no

action.

Then the ball started slowly rolling and at about

4pm I had a little show and by 7pm I was starting

to have weak irregular contractions. So I did

what my midwife told me to do, took some

panadol and tried to go to sleep! Haha!

The contractions started to get more regular

throughout the night but were still not close

enough together to warrant ringing our midwife.

The pen from writing all of the timings down

nearly ran out.

At about 3am we decided we would ring our

midwife (first-timers panic) At that point we found

out she had been up for almost 24 hours already and

was just going into theatre for her second birth of the

day! She told us to stay at home as I will still

managing ok. About 5am she rang us back and

handed us over to her back up midwife as she was

going home to get some much needed sleep!

At this point my waters still hadn’t broken and the

contractions still weren’t that intense.

We had several phone calls to the back up midwife

and decided to meet her at Waitakere Hospital. So

about 9:30 we packed the bags into the car and

began the journey from our house in New Lynn to

Waitakere Hospital. We managed to get just about

every green light and made record time on the

journey which was great.

After an examination at the hospital we discovered I

was only 3cm dilated. So we went back home and

arranged to meet our back up midwife back at the

hospital later that afternoon.

So back at home I decided to have a nice long soak in

a hot bath which did the trick! My waters broke while

I was sitting in the bath (no mess to clean up!) and it

was at that point the intensity in the contractions

increased immediately.

We rung the midwife and agreed to go straight to the

hospital. Of course on the second and drive to the

hospital that day we encountered every red light

possible and made record slow time!

On arrival at the hospital we already knew which

birthing room we would be in (the advantage of going

in early) so we went straight to the side door and was

let in by one of the hospital midwives.

At that point I asked for some gas only to be told by

the hospital midwife that she suggested we try a

wheat pack and the birthing pool first! Thankfully our


midwife turned up shortly after and quickly arranged

a tank of gas for me.

The next couple of hours where a blur as I was nice

and high on the gas. I do remember vomiting at one

stage and at some point our actual midwife turned up

after having a sleep at home.

Around 3pm I started pushing. After an hour of

pushing in every position possible with little progress,

the obstetrician was called. It was decided that he

would try and use the ventouse to help deliver our

baby. He returned, much to my husband’s

amusement, dressed in scrubs and butchers white

gumboots!

With two goes of the ventouse our beautiful baby

girl, Amelia Jane Leonora, was born at 4:52pm on the

Sunday.

My husband was able to cut the cord and our new

wonderful packet of joy was placed on my chest.

After at first suggesting photos I ordered my husband

to take photo’s not caring what I looked like. Good to

get those all important photos taken and then you

can edit/delete them later if necessary!

After going through the normal routine of cleaning,

weighing, measuring… we walked down to the ward.

It was then we started the huge task of texting all

family and friends with a photo of Amelia at 10 mins

old.

Amelia has just turned two and life has never been

the same since! But I wouldn’t change it for the

world!

Jack Frost

by Gabriel Setoun

The door was shut, as doors should be,

Before you went to bed last night;

Yet Jack Frost has got in, you see,

And left your window silver white.

He must have waited till you slept;

And not a single word he spoke,

But pencilled o'er the panes and crept

Away again before you woke.

And now you cannot see the hills

Nor fields that stretch beyond the lane;

But there are fairer things than these

His fingers traced on every pane.

Rocks and castles towering high;

Hills and dales, and streams and fields;

And knights in armor riding by,

With nodding plumes and shining shields.

And here are little boats, and there

Big ships with sails spread to the breeze;

And yonder, palm trees waving fair

On islands set in silver seas,

And butterflies with gauzy wings;

And herds of cows and flocks of sheep;

And fruit and flowers and all the things

You see when you are sound asleep.

For, creeping softly underneath

The door when all the lights are out,

Jack Frost takes every breath you breathe,

And knows the things you think about.

He paints them on the window-pane

In fairy lines with frozen steam;

And when you wake you see again

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].


Winter is here again so its time to get active...

...eat lots of fruit and vegetables to ward off Winter

colds and 'flu. Have hot meals and hot drinks to keep

your family warm and healthy and wrap up in layers

of warm clothes to stay snug when you leave the

house.

Why is it important to keep my home warm and

dry?

It's important for your family's health that your house

is warm and dry. Cold and damp homes are linked to

poor health, especially for babies and small children,

people who are ill, and older people. Here are some

ways to keep your home healthy that won't break the

bank:

How to heat your house

Only heat the room that

you are in. Try and keep

the temperature

between 18 and 21

degrees especially if you

have babies, people

with illnesses, or older

people living in your

home.

Dress warmly for bed and make sure your bedroom is

warm enough - it is very important to stay warm

during the night.

Block up unused chimneys and stop draughts around

doors and windows. You can make your own draught

'snakes' by stuffing rugby socks or pantyhose with

newspaper or cushion filling.

Up to 20% of heating can be lost through draughts.

Open windows and curtains on sunny days, and close

them when the sun goes down to trap heat in your

home. Trim any trees that prevent sun entering your

house (but if you are renting, remember to ask your

landlord first!).

How to keep your home dry

A dehumidifier costs around $156 a year to run -

these tips are cheaper and can be just as effective.

If you use an unflued gas heater (that is, one without

a chimney), make sure that you use it safely.

Research has shown that they can release gases

which can be particularly dangerous for anyone with

heart disease or asthma, pregnant women, young

children and older people. If you have to use one,

open a window and keep all internal doors open too.

Use it only for short periods and never in bedrooms.

Try not to dry clothes indoors as this creates moisture

in the air. Drying on the outside is free and the

sunlight kills bacteria, making your clothes healthier

for you and your family. Use a shed or garage if it is

raining.

To reduce moisture

caused by steam, always

open a window when you

are showering and when

you are cooking on the

stove top. Use pot lids to

reduce the amount of

steam escaping. Keep

doors to bedrooms closed

at these times as steam

can make beds damp.

If you must use a clothes dryer, make sure your

clothes are properly spun first and leave windows

open while you are using it - or even better, vent it

outside.

TEN easy ways to save money and cut your

electricity costs

Talk to your electricity company about which plan is

best for you. Most companies provide options

including direct debits at a flat rate all year round, pre

-payment meters and low use rates for people who

are very frugal.

Most of your electricity bill will go on hot water so

use less if you can. Set your washing machine on a

cold wash and rinse your dishes in cold water. Take

short showers instead of baths. Showers use 60 per

Keeping warm & healthy this winter


cent less water than baths.

Fix dripping taps. A dripping hot tap can cost $80 a

year but a washer to fix it costs less than $1!

If your hot water cylinder is old, keep the heat in by

using a hot water cylinder wrap. These are available

from hardware stores. Make sure the thermostat is

set to produce a temperature of 55C at the tap (this

will also prevent scalds).

Always turn the lights off in rooms when you leave

them. But if you are using energy efficient light bulbs

it is better to leave them on if you are returning

within ten minutes.

Appliances that have a standby function (such as TVs,

stereos, mobile chargers, computers or microwaves)

should be turned off at the wall. This can save you up

to $75 a year.

Clothes dryers can be very expensive to run so try not

to use them unless you really have to. Heated towel

rails are also expensive and cost around $120 a year

to run.

Make sure there is generous air space behind the

back of your fridge and try to locate it out of direct

sunlight, or in a cooler room like the laundry. Don't

open the fridge door too often or leave it open.

Make sure you cool food before putting it in the

fridge. Turn off your second or 'drinks' fridge - this

could be costing you $190 per year.

When cooking keep the oven door closed. Always

keep lids on pots and use as little water as possible to

cook foods. Simmer rather than boil food and if

possible use a microwave, as this uses 30-40 per cent

less power than a conventional oven. Defrost food

naturally if possible, (in the fridge is best) rather than

in the microwave.

Insulate your home - subsidies for landlords and

homeowners

Insulation is the best way to keep your house warm

and save on heating costs. The government has

subsidies available in many parts of the country to

help landlords and homeowners save hundreds of

dollars on ceiling and floor insulation, draught

stopping and hot water cylinder wraps.

The Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority offers

EnergyWise Home Grants which are targeted at

people with low incomes and cover all houses built

before 1978. Ask your landlord whether they know

about this scheme.

To find out whether this scheme operates in your

area, phone 0800 358 676 or visit www.eeca.govt.nz

and check out the EnergyWise Home Grants page.

Cheap ways to be green and save money

Install eco-friendly bulbs. These bulbs can last for

many years and they use 80 per cent less power than

standard light bulbs.

An energy efficient showerhead can use up to 50 per

cent less hot water than a standard one. Consider

installing one yourself, or ask your landlord if one can

be fitted.

Check the seals on your fridge to make sure they are

still working. If they stop working or become less

effective, warm air will enter your fridge, making it

work harder and use more power. To test your seals,

put a piece of paper in the door and close it. If the

paper can be easily pulled out, you may need to have

the seals replaced. Do the same with your oven, as it

could be losing precious heat energy whenever you

cook. Companies that will replace the seals are listed

in the yellow Pages under fridges and freezers -

Servicing, or Ovens and stoves.

Double glazing on windows is an effective way of

controlling heat loss and condensation, but can be

very costly. A cheaper alternative is to buy a window

insulator kit, which involves fitting plastic film to the

inside of wooden windows. This can be done easily,

and will make your windows 90 per cent more energy

efficient. These can be purchased from Negawatt

Resources, email: [email protected].

If you are replacing an appliance, try to ensure the

replacement appliance is as energy efficient as

possible. The higher initial cost will benefit you in the

long run through savings made to your power bills.

- https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/

publications-resources/brochures/keeping-warm-

healthy.html


When you think of parenting, what words and images

come to mind?

For me it’s ‘love’, then ‘hugs’, ‘pride’, ‘joy’ and one

more word that unfortunately comes with the

territory: ‘worry’. (I admit I’m one of the deluded

who believes that if I worry about something hard

enough it won’t happen, but heck, it works!)

While I never need reminders to love, snuggle or

worry about my kids, I make a point of remembering

these less intuitive, but equally invaluable parenting

words:

Respect

Our children are born thinkers, whole people at birth,

and the good news is that once we’ve recognized

this, we won’t need to remind ourselves that they

deserve our respect — they’ll do that for us. Once

we’ve opened our eyes, we can’t help but notice how

aware our babies are of everything we do and say,

along with every other detail of their world. They

don’t miss a trick.

We’ll be astonished by our children’s natural abilities

to communicate, explore and learn, and by how

quickly they understand. What’s not to respect?

And now, thanks to researchers like Alison Gopnik,

Elizabeth Spelke and Paul Bloom, there is

overwhelming scientific proof that infants are

competent, sentient people. I like to think that

society will embrace this evidence (sooner than later)

and that respect for babies may someday be a given,

rather than a conscious choice to remember.

Trust

Trust is probably the word I use most on my blog and

with the parents I advise, because I consider

it the most vital parenting tool for raising healthy, self

-confident, successful children from birth to

adulthood. Two experiences I had this past week

were vivid reminders of the value of trust:

While observing the toddlers in one of my weekly RIE

Parent-Toddler Guidance Classes, I took particular

notice of C, a bright, active 19 month old boy with a

delightful sense of humour. C has only recently taken

his first steps at home, but still chooses crawling as

his preferred mode of transportation.

The realization I had observing C was that there was

clearly something that crawling still had to offer him,

whether that entailed muscle development,

flexibility, cross lateral integration or who knows

what, and he wasn’t going to stop crawling until he

had gained all he needed to gain from it.

I see this as true for all young children in just about

everything they do. Babies don’t roll to their tummies

and stay there until they’ve completed the

developmental work they need by moving freely on

their backs. They don’t push up to their knees and

crawl until they’ve learned all they need to learn from

scooting on their tummies. Motor milestones aren’t

only about new things babies are able to do – they

are reflective of children finishing with what they

were doing previously. And since the child is the only

one who knows the perfect time for him or her to

move on, all that’s left for us to do is respect that and

trust.

Another recent reminder about trust came during my

11 year old son’s soccer tournament. I noticed that

the standout players in my son’s highly competitive

club were the ones whose parents generally keep

their mouths shut during games, unless they have

9 Parenting Words To Live By

http://www.regardingbaby.org/2011/09/18/the-way-we-see-them/

http://www.regardingbaby.org/2011/09/18/the-way-we-see-them/

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0688177883/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0688177883&linkCode=as2&tag=janetlansbury-20

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307886840/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0307886840&linkCode=as2&tag=janetlansbury-20

http://www.janetlansbury.com/call-me/

http://www.rie.org/classes/parent-infant

http://www.rie.org/classes/parent-infant

http://www.regardingbaby.org/2013/02/21/tummy-time-babys-way/

http://www.regardingbaby.org/2013/02/21/tummy-time-babys-way/


something encouraging to say. All these boys are

exceptionally skilled, train hard each week and know

what they’re doing. So their performance at game

time is largely determined by their mental state,

especially their level of self-confidence and focus,

which are both hindered when parents direct or

criticize them from the sidelines. These parents don’t

seem to realize how much they are weakening their

children’s performances by not trusting them to play

their game.

Acknowledge

‘Acknowledge’ is right up there with trust as one of

the most invaluable parenting practices, vital to

building healthy relationships with people of all ages.

It’s relationship-affirming because it meets the other

person exactly where they are, but it’s a difficult one

to remember in the heat of the moment when the

urge to calm or correct children can be overpowering.

While acknowledging is somewhat similar to

empathizing, they are not the same. Empathy is often

far too big a leap for us when, for example, our child

is having a meltdown because another child bumped

him slightly from behind. Acknowledging, “you didn’t

like that”, can be our bridge to empathy, and it’s

more rational and less emotional, so we are less

inclined to overdo it (“oh, poor baby!”), projecting

weakness and adding to the distress.

Less

Less stimulation (kids are sensitive to it), less needless

intervention (because we respect our children’s

innate abilities), and less scheduled activities and

busyness will usually add up to more learning, more

self-confidence, more peace for parents and

kids. Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne is an

inspiring resource.

Observe

Want to learn everything you’ll ever need to know

about your children? It’s simple: observe, observe,

observe, and you will see what your kids are working

on, which skills they are developing, their

imaginations at work, their needs, passions, when

and how to intervene rather than interrupt, and

much, much more. When we observe we notice that

a great many of our thoughts and feelings about our

children Want to learn everything you’ll ever need to

know about your children? It’s simple: observe,

observe, observe, and you will see what your kids are

working on, which skills they are developing, their

imaginations at work, their needs, passions, when

and how to intervene rather than interrupt, and

much, much more. When we observe we notice that

a great many of our thoughts and feelings about our

children have little to do with them and are actually

all about us. Observing children play is enlightening,

fascinating, surprising and immensely enjoyable.

And how gratifying it must be for our kids to be

appreciated and enjoyed.

Wait

‘Wait’ was infant specialist Magda Gerber’s magic

word, because waiting is the secret to giving children

precious opportunities to make their needs clear,

demonstrate competence, and develop in their own

way and time. It never ceases to amaze me when I

discover that children really do understand my

direction for them because I’ve waited an extra

moment for the coin to drop. (I share many more

details about the magic of waiting in The Parenting

Magic Word.)

Slowly

Like ‘wait’ and ‘less’, ‘slowly’ is crucial for connecting

with our young children, because their pace is

distinctly slower than ours. Slowing down our pace,

our speech and our lives are the way we will let our

children in, include and empower them.

Regard

Magda Gerber emphasized a similar term, “pay

attention”. The primal need we all have, especially

our children, to be “regarded” is eloquently

illustrated in this post by Lisa A. McCrohan: Regard.

(http://barefootbarn.wordpress.com/2013/08/07/

regard/)

Boundaries

Have I saved the most unpleasant for last? No,

because I don’t perceive boundaries negatively, and

one of my primary goals is to convince parents not to

do this either. Boundaries are commonly thought of

http://www.janetlansbury.com/2011/11/the-key-to-your-childs-heart-7-ways-it-works/

http://www.amazon.com/Simplicity-Parenting-Extraordinary-Calmer-Happier/dp/0345507983%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAJHPRLTEU3NIWGSLA%26tag%3Djanetlansbury-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0345507983

http://piklerexperience.blogspot.com/2013/07/observation-is-key.html

http://piklerexperience.blogspot.com/2013/07/observation-is-key.html

http://www.janetlansbury.com/2010/10/babies-and-the-art-of-observation/

http://peacefulparentsconfidentkids.wordpress.com/2013/07/02/allowing-children-to-play-for-their-age-and-stage/

http://peacefulparentsconfidentkids.wordpress.com/2013/07/02/allowing-children-to-play-for-their-age-and-stage/

http://www.janetlansbury.com/2011/06/the-parenting-magic-word-10-ways-to-use-it/

http://magdagerber.org/



http://simplekids.net/slowing-down-2/

http://www.janetlansbury.com/2009/12/the-easily-forgotten-gift/

http://www.janetlansbury.com/2009/12/the-easily-forgotten-gift/

http://barefootbarn.wordpress.com/2013/08/07/regard/


Do you want to learn basic breastfeeding skills and tips?

Available now are FREE Antenatal Breastfeeding classes taken by a Lactation Consult-ant at Waitakere Hospital. They are held fortnightly: on the first Tuesday of the month from 10am-12pm; and on the third Tuesday of the month from 7pm-9pm.

This class is designed for women in the late stages of pregnancy, especially 28 weeks and over. Partners/support people are also welcome. The class is a great opportunity for women to learn more about breastfeeding (or a refresher for second-time mums) just before the baby arrives.

Classes are held in the Childbirth Education Area—Nikau Room at Waitakere Hospital. Bookings are recommended, but not essential. Call Adith on 838-9362, or Barbara on 838-1566.

Antenatal Breastfeeding Classes

as this icky thing we have to do with children when

they aren’t behaving properly, which is exactly the

reason parents struggle with them.

Children are extraordinarily perceptive. They know

that it’s easier for us to say, “okay, whatever, hang

out with your friend even longer while I stand here

pleading and the car’s running,” than it is to insist

“come on, it’s time to go now” and take her hand.

But at what cost?

As Magda Gerber explains in Your Self-Confident

Baby, “Sometimes you may give in to your child’s

requests. At others your needs may take precedence.

When you are clear about what you want, do

communicate your wishes to your child in a clear

way. You may avoid feeling anger stemming from self

-sacrifice.”

When parents perceive boundaries positively and

then learn to provide them with confidence and ease,

they notice that their children seldom react

negatively, and when they do it’s not for more than a

moment or two. Often, to our surprise, we can even

sense our child’s appreciation beneath the grumbling.

When our children’s reactions are strong and last

longer, it’s usually because they have unconsciously

(and brilliantly, in my view) created the opportunity

to release some intense feelings they’ve been storing,

or they’re overtired, or overly hungry, or didn’t really

want to do whatever it was anyway and are seeking

an “out”.

Our boundaries are the gifts that help children feel

protected, cared for, empowered. They create

peace and nurture our parent-child bond, because

they help to prevent us from yelling at or resenting

our kids. Boundaries keep the air clear, so everyone

in the family can breathe more deeply. They are

essential for our children to feel free, genuinely

happy. Kids with boundaries are trusted and always

welcome guests and companions. If that’s not

positive, I don’t know what is.

“A positive goal to strive for when disciplining would

be to raise children we not only love, but in whose

company we love being.” – Magda Gerber, Dear

Parent: Caring for Infants With Respect

- Janet Lansbury. http://www.janetlansbury.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Your-Self-Confident-Baby-Encourage-Abilities/dp/1118158792%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAJHPRLTEU3NIWGSLA%26tag%3Djanetlansbury-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D1118158792

http://www.amazon.com/Your-Self-Confident-Baby-Encourage-Abilities/dp/1118158792%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAJHPRLTEU3NIWGSLA%26tag%3Djanetlansbury-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D1118158792

http://www.janetlansbury.com/2010/04/no-bad-kids-toddler-discipline-without-shame-9-guidelines/

http://abundantlifechildren.com/2012/07/30/how-to-raise-decent-children-without-spankings-or-time-outs/

http://abundantlifechildren.com/2012/07/30/how-to-raise-decent-children-without-spankings-or-time-outs/

http://www.janetlansbury.com/2013/02/i-think-i-know-why-youre-yelling/

http://www.amazon.com/Dear-Parent-Infants-Respect-Edition/dp/1892560062%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAJHPRLTEU3NIWGSLA%26tag%3Djanetlansbury-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D1892560062

http://www.amazon.com/Dear-Parent-Infants-Respect-Edition/dp/1892560062%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAJHPRLTEU3NIWGSLA%26tag%3Djanetlansbury-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D1892560062


The worst thing about colds and the flu is how quickly

they spread through the family. Most people don’t

realise that our hands

are one of the main

ways that cold & flu

viruses can spread

especially in the first

2-4 days when they

are coughing,

sneezing and have a

runny nose.

The key to stopping

the cold and flu merry

-go-round is to kill the

viruses that cause

these illnesses before

they transfer to

family members.

How?

Here’s some simple tips from Dr Penny Adams to

manage your baby’s cold and flu symptoms:

Teach children to always cough, sneeze or blow

their nose into a tissue

Throw the tissue in the bin after using it only once

If there is no box of tissues handy, teach children

to cough or sneeze into cupped hands

Ensure hands are washed with soap and water

after sneezing or coughing

Don’t share cups, glasses, drink bottles, straws or

cutlery

Ensure hands are washed before eating and are

kept away from the eyes, nose and mouth at all

other times

Make sure everyone in the family gets regular

exercise and eats plenty of fresh fruit and

vegetables to help them stay healthy.

As much as we hate seeing our babies miserable with

a cold or flu, the truth is that it does actually have

some positives. Babies develop

strong immune systems

through catching and fighting

off colds. At times, it might

seem that bub has a

continuous runny nose – but

it’s all part of developing

immunity. In fact, you can

expect around 6 to 10 colds

per year with bubs and young

children – maybe more if your

child is going to childcare from

a young age.

Cold, flu, whooping cough?

When bub starts to become

unsettled and has signs of

illness it is important to identify the symptoms and

give the right treatments. Take a look at the next

page for your handy liftout reference to the

symptoms and treatments of some of the most

common childhood illness that bub is likely to catch.

When to see the doctor?

Having a sick baby can be a real worry – it can be

hard to know what is a simple cold and when to get

help. Babies are unable to tell you so you need to pay

close attention to the signs of a more serious illness

developing. If in doubt – it’s always best to see your

doctor to make sure.

Preventing the spread of colds

Colds and flu can spread quickly around your family.

Fortunately a few simple steps can minimise the

chances of everyone coming down with a cold. Taking

greater care with sneezing and hand washing can

make a real difference from one family member

getting a cold to everyone going down. Use a hand

sanitiser, eat well and try to get as much sleep as

possible.

- www.huggies.co.nz

Baby Colds, Coughs and Flu


Illn

ess

Bro

nch

ioliti

s

* U

sual

ly a

ffec

ts b

abie

s in

th

eir

firs

t 12

mo

nth

s.

* V

iral

res

pir

ato

ry in

fecti

on

* P

asse

s vi

a co

ugh

ing,

sn

eezi

ng

and

dir

ect

con

tact

(eg

tiss

ues

.)

Co

mm

on

Co

ld

* U

pp

er r

esp

irat

ory

Tra

ct In

fecti

on

* Sn

eezi

ng

cou

ghin

g

* D

irec

t co

nta

ct

* C

on

tagi

ou

s u

nti

l sym

pto

ms

clea

r

Co

ugh

* U

sual

ly p

art

of,

or

follo

ws

on

fro

m, a

n U

RTI

.

* C

on

tagi

ou

s u

nti

l sym

pto

ms

clea

r.

Cro

up

* A

vir

al il

lnes

s ca

usi

ng

acu

te in

flam

ma

tio

n o

f th

e

up

per

re

spir

ato

ry t

ract

.

* C

om

mo

nly

aff

ects

yo

un

g ch

ildre

n a

nd

bab

ies.

* In

volv

es a

irw

ays

bec

om

ing

swo

llen

an

d n

arro

w

* P

asse

d v

ia c

ou

ghin

g an

d s

nee

zin

g

* Sy

mp

tom

s p

eak

on

2n

d o

r 3r

d d

ay.

Sym

pto

ms

* R

un

ny

no

se, s

nee

zin

g an

d f

ever

* C

ou

gh d

evel

op

s o

ver

a co

up

le o

f d

ays.

* W

hee

ze o

n o

utw

ard

bre

ath

.

* D

ifficu

lty

bre

ath

ing

– la

bo

ure

d b

reat

h w

ith

ch

est

risi

ng

mo

re t

han

no

rmal

.

An

y o

r al

l of:

* B

lock

ed o

r ru

nn

y n

ose

* Sn

eezi

ng

* So

re t

hro

at

* C

ou

gh

* H

ead

ach

e

* Fe

ver

* Th

e co

ugh

may

be

dry

or

pro

du

ce m

uco

us

* Si

mila

r to

a c

old

* Lo

ok

for

sign

s o

f w

ho

op

ing

cou

gh, c

rou

p,

bro

nch

ioliti

s o

r p

neu

mo

nia

.

* G

ene

ral c

old

sym

pto

ms

at fi

rst

* B

arki

ng

cou

gh (

sou

nd

s lik

e a

seal

)

* H

oar

se v

oic

e

* B

reat

hin

g is

no

isy.

* Sy

mp

tom

s ar

e u

sual

ly w

ors

e at

nig

ht.

Seve

re s

ymp

tom

s in

clu

de:

* D

ifficu

lty

bre

ath

ing

* H

igh

fev

er a

nd

dro

olin

g

Tre

atm

ent

* V

isit

yo

ur

Do

cto

r fo

r ad

vice

* If

yo

ur

bab

y is

hav

ing

tro

ub

le b

reat

hin

g se

ek

urg

ent

med

ical

ass

ista

nce

.

Trea

t th

e sy

mp

tom

s:

* P

len

ty o

f fl

uid

s

* G

ive

Par

acet

amo

l/Ib

up

rofe

n

* N

asal

sp

ray

or

dro

ps.

Vis

it y

ou

r d

oct

or

if:

* O

ngo

ing

hig

h f

ever

* B

reat

hin

g d

ifficu

lties

* In

ten

se h

ead

ach

e

* Sti

ff n

eck

* Le

thar

gic

* In

cre

ase

flu

ids

* If

a b

acte

rial

infe

ctio

n is

pre

sen

t; a

nti

bio

tics

may

be

use

d.

* Se

e y

ou

r d

oct

or

if s

ymp

tom

s p

ersi

st o

r yo

u’r

e

con

cern

ed

* In

itial

tre

atm

ent

is t

o p

lace

th

e ch

ild in

to a

ste

amy

roo

m. R

un

th

e h

ot

tap

s in

th

e b

ath

roo

m o

r la

un

dry

.

Bew

are

of

scal

ds.

* Se

e y

ou

r d

oct

or

if y

ou

su

spec

t cr

ou

p.

* If

it is

a s

ever

e att

ack

call

an a

mb

ula

nce

.

* Sl

eep

ing

clo

se b

y to

yo

ur

child

is o

ften

a g

oo

d id

ea.

http://m.huggies.co.nz/baby-care/health/cold/painkillers

http://www.huggies.co.nz/baby-care/health/cold/painkillers




Feve

r

* M

ay b

e ca

use

d b

y a

vira

l or

bac

teri

al in

fecti

on

.

* Yo

un

g b

abie

s ca

n h

ave

a fe

ver

fro

m b

ein

g o

ver

hea

ted

.

* O

ccas

ion

ally

fo

llow

s ro

uti

ne

imm

un

izati

on

s.

Flu

(In

flu

en

za)

* Sn

eezi

ng

cou

ghin

g

* D

irec

t co

nta

ct

* C

on

tagi

ou

s u

nti

l sym

pto

ms

clea

r

* A

vir

al in

fecti

on

sp

read

by

cou

ghin

g an

d s

nee

zin

g

fro

m in

fect

ed p

erso

ns.

* Sy

mp

tom

s d

evel

op

1-3

day

s fo

llow

ing

exp

osu

re.

* H

igh

fev

er a

nd

dro

olin

g

* Yo

ur

bab

y is

co

nsi

der

ed t

o h

ave

a fe

ver

wh

en y

ou

r

bab

y’s

tem

pe

ratu

re r

ises

ab

ove

37.

5oC

* H

igh

tem

pe

ratu

re is

co

nsi

der

ed t

o b

e o

ver

39o

C

* B

aby

may

fee

l ho

t to

to

uch

.

* B

aby

may

sh

iver

or

fee

l ver

y h

ot.

* R

apid

ris

e in

tem

pe

ratu

re o

r p

rolo

nge

d h

igh

fev

er

may

cau

se a

feb

rile

co

nvu

lsio

n.

Sym

pto

ms

may

incl

ud

e:

* H

igh

Fev

er

* C

hill

s an

d s

wea

tin

g

* H

ead

ach

e

* W

eak

and

tire

d

* Jo

int

pai

n

* Lo

ss o

f ap

peti

te

* C

hes

ty c

ou

gh

* C

ou

gh (

dry

or

wit

h m

uco

us)

* Sy

mp

tom

s m

ay la

st f

or

7-1

0 d

ays.

* D

ehyd

rati

on

can

occ

ur

qu

ickl

y

* Tr

eat

the

sym

pto

ms

wit

h p

arac

etam

ol o

r

ibu

pro

fen

to

mak

e yo

ur

child

co

mfo

rtab

le.

* R

emo

ve e

xce

ss la

yers

of

clo

thin

g.

* B

ath

wit

h a

tep

id s

po

nge

/clo

th (

wat

er s

ho

uld

be

aro

un

d 3

7C)

* In

cre

ase

flu

ids

See

k m

edic

al a

dvi

ce if

* Yo

ur

new

bo

rn p

rese

nts

wit

h a

fev

er.

* A

hig

h f

ever

is p

rese

nt

or,

* H

as d

ifficu

lty

bre

ath

ing

or,

* Is

leth

argi

c an

d n

on

-res

po

nsi

ve o

r,

* H

as a

ras

h

* Yo

u a

re c

on

cern

ed.

Trea

t th

e sy

mp

tom

s:

* P

len

ty o

f fl

uid

s

* G

ive

Par

acet

amo

l/Ib

up

rofe

n

* N

asal

sp

ray

or

dro

ps.

Ask

yo

ur

ph

arm

acis

t fo

r

advi

ce

Vis

it y

ou

r d

oct

or

if:

* O

ngo

ing

hig

h f

ever

* B

reat

hin

g d

ifficu

lties

* In

ten

se h

ead

ach

e

* Sti

ff n

eck

* Le

thar

gic

* Yo

u a

re c

on

cern

ed in

an

y w

ay

- w

ww

.hu

gg

ies.

co.n

z

http://m.huggies.co.nz/baby-care/health/cold/painkillers





Mother’s day, 2014, a day for us to cherish our

precious mothers, grandmothers and great

grandmothers.

We the volunteers of West Auckland Parent Centre

celebrated our mother’s day morning with some very

special new mum’s. We began the day by unloading

the 30+ beautifully presented gift baskets into the

Waitakere Hospital Maternity ward reception.

Loading our trolley with the special girls and boys

baskets we began our journey through Piha ward.

First we got to meet the first born baby on mother’s

day a beautiful girl, she received an extra special gift

basket. Next we met the next born baby, being

another girl! She too received a special gift basket.

Moving through the ward meeting all the doting

mothers and their beautiful new babies was a very

moving experience.

Not only did we get to meet and greet the wonderful

new mums of Piha and Te Henga wards, but we also

had the privilege of being invited to the Special Care

Baby Unit (SCBU) to meet these strong beautiful tiny

babies.

The new mothers, families, and staff of Waitakere

Maternity wards were very happy and overwhelmed

with our presence in the wards. Every mother

received a gift basket and we were able to leave

extras for mothers whom may come throughout the

day.

It was lovely to have the opportunity to put such a big

smile on these mother’s faces and I am looking

forward to participating again next year.

We would not have been able to provide these

wonderful baskets without the very generous and

thoughtful donations of the following companies:

Bed, Bath and Beyond, Sanitarium NZ, Tasti, Dimples,

Women’s Weekly, K Mart Henderson, Bobux,

Westfield WestCity, Nutrimetics (Janis Brown), Eco

Store, The Sleep Store, Nature’s Sway, Pop Roc

Parties, Totally Devoted, Strawberry Jam and Amanda

4 Flowerz.

Thank you!

- Josephine Edmonds

Mother’s Day gift basket giveaway


April - Rebecca Crewe Lui Rebecca joined our committee in March last year and took on the important role of Secretary - recording all the details of our meetings. Despite living across the other side of Auckland, she also hosts our weekend classes. Thank you Rebecca, for your time and effort helping WAPC.

May - Christine Militoni Christine joined the WAPC committee in October 2012 originally to help with our Moving, Munching and Motoring course. When a change in circumstance meant that was no longer possible, she stayed and took on other roles, most recently Products Coordinator and Mail Secretary, as well as helping out with other events where she could. We would like to take the opportunity to thank Christine for all her hard work.

WAPC - Volunteer of the Month

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


Birthdays! Celebrating 13 Years Zac Jacobson

Celebrating 7 Years Ryan Mapletoft

Isobel Lamb

Celebrating 5 Years Ella Woodley

Amelia Edlington

Celebrating 4 Years Sophia Glover

Celebrating 2 Years George Woodley

Celebrating 1 Year

Mackenzie Paton Zara Lazarus

Jarvis Van Paauwe Keilani Tai

Lachie Manley Emily Dreaver

Birthdays


Welcome to Our World

Class: Mon 13 Jan to 17 Feb

Kathryn & Ben Leah 18/02/2014

Melanie & Chris Aidan 23/02/2014

Lisa & Carl Eve 09/03/2014

Nikita & Andrew Charlotte 10/03/2014

Sarah & Marcela Nicolas 11/03/2014

Emily & Michael Mila 27/03/2014

Catherine & Ailsa Carlos 07/04/2014

Tracy & Dylan Maddison 20/04/2014

Daniel & Emma Maya 01/05/2014

Naomi & Matt Mikayla 05/05/2014

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.

Our thoughts go out to Emily & Mike and their

family and friends as unfortunately beautiful

little Mila passed away in her parents arms

just a few days following her birth.

“There is no foot too small that it cannot

leave an imprint on the world”


WAPC Interviews... Vicki Savage, Registered Nurse, Special Care Baby Unit

(SCBU), Waitakere Hospital

Nicola and I had a bit of a rocky start with Poppy. She

spent a week in NICU at Auckland Hospital and then

she was in the Waitakere SCBU unit for a couple of

weeks. While this is a relatively short period

compared to some babies, it was still a very stressful

time. I couldn’t help but notice how amazing the

nurses in the units were and I thought people might

be interested in these quiet superstars. I interviewed

Vicki back in January on what it’s like to work in such

an environment and give you all an insight into how it

all works

Tell me about your background and how you got

into this field? How long have you been a SCBU

nurse?

I have worked in SCBU (Special Care Baby Unit) at

Waitakere hospital for two years now, but for my

whole nursing life I have been involved with caring

for newborn babies and their parents. I started

working at National Women’s Hospital Newborn

Services in SCBU and NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care

Unit) and spent ten years in this job, learning so much

about sick newborn babies.

When I had my first child in 2008 I needed to find a

job closer to home as I found it hard to be away for

long hours, often for two days at a time. I was

fortunate enough to be employed by Rodney Coast

Midwives at the Warkworth Birthing Centre when it

first opened in 2000. I cared for women after their

delivery for the first few days as a new parent - this

involved a lot of education about breastfeeding and

parent craft. I had three more children while working

at the Birthing Centre and was able to return to work

(mostly night shifts) after each birth as my employers

allowed me to bring my baby so that I could continue

to breastfeed. When my youngest son turned five, I

decided that my passion for nursing sick or

premature infants needed to be filled and so after 11

and a half years I returned to SCBU nursing.

Do you need any extra training be a nurse in the

SCBU?

Training is completed on the unit – through peer

support, study days and a comprehensive orientation

programme when you first start. Initially you are

paired up with an experienced SCBU nurse and you

work with him/her for about a month doing the same

shifts so that you can learn what you need to know to

work independently. As the nurses’ skills develop

they are taught how to look after more complex

patients. There is a nurse educator for SCBU and she

arranges a comprehensive educational programme to

suit each nurse’s requirements. There are also a

number of study days run for nurses, some of which

are compulsory.

Are there any particular skills or talents you'd

consider essential in being a SCBU nurse?

I think you need to like babies and have a desire to

help parents deal with what can be an emotional and

stressful time. Good communication skills are vital. A

sense of humour also helps.

Can you give me a breakdown of your daily

responsibilities? What’s a typical day?

The nurses in SCBU work 12 hour shifts that start at

either 7am or 7pm. My typical day starts with a

handover or sharing of information about the babies I

will be caring for from the nurse on the previous shift.

I then do a safety check for each baby to ensure the

monitor alarm limits are set correctly, the emergency

equipment is available and in working order. The

baby is then given a general assessment to see that

he/she is how I would expect them to look. I plan my

day from here around the feeds that are due, the

medications needed, when the family will be in to

assist with caring for their baby, and what the doctors

require. There is a doctor’s round in the morning

where each baby is discussed and examined if


needed, and a plan for the next 24 hours is made. The

nurses have a lot of input into what we think should

happen over the next 24 hours. Parents also have a

voice at this time and it is important their concerns

are heard and their questions are answered by the

doctors. The rest of the day is spent actually caring

for the babies - taking care of their hygiene needs,

educating and assisting parents to care for the baby

as much as they can, recording their vital signs,

feeding them and liaising with other health care team

members in supporting the families at this time. All of

this requires documentation in nursing and medical

notes. We also have to be prepared for the

unexpected arrival of a sick newborn, which could

happen at any time of the day or night.

How many babies do you look after at once? Do you

work as a team with the other nurses or is it more

individual?

The number of babies each nurse cares for varies

depending on the needs of each baby. A typical

workload is three to four babies. There are four

nurses on a shift and we help each other out when

needed so we get the work done between us.

The incubators, the wires, tubes and the constant

alarms can be quite scary for parents. How do you

encourage them to be involved in their baby's care?

For parents SCBU can be a scary place. I think the

best way for parents to be involved and feel

comfortable is to spend time in the unit and to ask

questions about their baby. We encourage parents

to spend time skin to skin with baby even when they

are on respiratory support and full monitoring as this

has been proven to stabilise a baby’s vital signs and

temperature, and this is often the very first step in

initiating breastfeeding. Parents are encouraged to

wash baby, change nappies, check temperatures,

prepare and feed baby and give those much needed

cuddles.

How did you manage your work schedule and your

home/social life? Being shift work, is it hard to find a

balance?

Shiftwork has always been part of my life. We are

given some flexibility in managing this by self

rostering, bearing in mind that we all need to do our

share of weekend and night shifts. It is not always

easy as often things crop up at my children’s school

that I just didn’t know about when the roster was

written. I think my family has come to understand

that they need to give me three months warning

about social events or I may not be able to be there.

If things clash we can often swap shifts to get the

time off that we need. I feel I am lucky to be able to

work part time (just two 12 hour shifts a week) as this

allows me the balance between work and home life.

What is the best thing about your job?

The best thing about my job is the satisfaction of

seeing these little people go home to their families.

Often they have waited many weeks to get the baby

home. It’s rewarding to see parents learn the skills

and develop the confidence to care for their baby.

They leave us smiling and happy.

Finally, any advice for parents with a baby in SCBU?

My advice to parents of a baby in SCBU is be there -

spend as much time as you can with your baby, get to

know them and be involved with their care. Ask

questions and voice your concerns - we want to do

what we can to make this situation as easy as it can

be for you. Think of this as a journey, one where we

know where we are headed but we don’t know what

we may encounter on the way. We don’t know how

long it will be, or when we will get to our final

destination. The staff may have some ideas based on

other babies’ similar journeys but each one is unique.

There will be really good days and some harder ones.

Remember we are all sharing this journey with you

and your baby as we head towards getting you home.

Vicki is a Registered Nurse working in the Special Care

Baby Unit at Waitakere Hospital. She is married to

Simon and they have four children, Finley 15, Trace

11, Brooke 8, and Lewis 6.

- Daniel Mapletoft

“My advice -

be there, get involved”


Grants Coordinator Are you deadline driven with an eye for detail? Can you help?

Are you good with writing proposals and keen to help West Auckland Parents Centre get money for our deserving cause? We need someone who can work to deadlines, cross all the 't's, dot the 'i's and make sure that we get what we ask for! This is a great role for someone who likes to tackle projects as you really need to hit one application at a time. Each application takes about 4-5 hours of your time and we apply for about 4-6 a year.

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.


Purposeful

Discipline

In this course we cover the differences between punishment and discipline and what effective discipline looks like in a home where unconditional love is the cornerstone for all parenting decisions. This course will equip you with a parenting philosophy and techniques which will work from the toddler years to the teenage years. We will cover questions around challenging behaviour, whether 'Time Out' is actually what we think it is, and how to change our concepts of what children need in the way of discipline. What will be covered: Developmental milestones, what is normal, with an evolutionary perspective Basic brain science Loving and positive discipline Spaces are limited to 20 so will be first in first served. The course runs from 7pm — 9pm at Kelston Community Centre Our next course commences: 24 July Members: $20 Non-members: $25

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: 23 July. Please contact us.

Members: $50, support person free

Non members: $60, support person $15

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: 28 June. Please contact us.

Members: $20, support person $10

Non members: $30, support person $15

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: West Auckland Parents Cen-

tre

Start: Browsing 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


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?

At first while the babies were very young and some people hadn't yet given birth we met once a fortnight. Now we meet Every Thursday at 1pm for 2 or 3 hours so we can all get home before rush hour starts.

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

Our babies are currently between 9-16 weeks.

What Is the boy/girl ratio?

There are 7 babies, 4 boys 3 girls.

What other activities has your coffee group tried?

So far we haven't yet branched out of visiting each others houses, although we had a Tupperware lady visit in May and we are looking forward to going for actual coffees in the near future. Walks have been discussed and also the idea of meeting with all the husbands for a BBQ one weekend afternoon before winter truly sets in.

Being a parent has taught you....

Both to slow down life (everything takes more time

with a baby) and at the same time speed up (babies

demand immediate attention!).

That I knew nothing about being a parent.

That love just grows and grows, it is quite intense at

times.

Early days yet, but so far that each baby is different

and there are many 'correct' ways of parenting.

So much more about myself,and to have the patience

of a saint.

Patience and love like you've never known it before!

Patience.

Best baby product you’ve tried?

Love to swaddle up zip up swaddle, Sleep wedge for settling, pre-fold nappy inserts. Musical radio for distracting/entertaining baby or travel change mat as useful to get out and about and change baby anywhere easily. Bamboo reusable wipes for home use; 'totsbots' cloth nappies

Love to dream love to swaddle UP. Colic Calm and water wipes. Colic Calm (it's a homeopathic remedy). It's not just for babies who have obvious colic, our daughter had trouble bringing up wind and would spill in bed when we put her down and colic calm has made such a difference. White noise!!! Stretch cotton swaddles, sleep store is great. What have been the greatest challenges so far?

Sleepless nights, you hear about them, but until you have one, it is just words, nothing can prepare you. Breastfeeding. Some people find it extremely challenging. Be tenacious - you CAN do it! Breastfeeding and the decision to stop and begin formula feeding. Having your baby in pain is heart wrenching. Mastering day sleeps. Initially breast feeding and later settling to sleep. The first 2 weeks of having a baby, dealing with the emotions and sudden overwhelming responsibility of being a new mum. What’s the best thing about being in this coffee group?

An amazing bunch of women who encourage you and empathise with you every step of the way. I guess it depends on the individual group, but ours is very special. Provides non-judgemental sounding board for all aspects of parenting, as well as support when the going gets tough. You find that you are not alone. You have a wonderful support group around you. You can share experiences and ideas to help each other get through. Support, advice and non judgmental friends sharing stories on the ups and downs of parenthood and getting/giving advice with people who are having similar experiences and learning together. Having a standing date for just one day per week. Routine and something to look forward to.. The support of people who are going through the same or similar issues at the same time. Any tips for new parents?

Take every day as it comes, no day will be the same. When it gets tough count to 10 and remember the

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

Sponsored by


good moments you've had! Ask for help, accept offers of help. Forget about housework, haircuts, weight loss, entertaining and focus on laying a foundation of good routine and sleeping habits. The rest can all happen later. Take each day as it comes and try not to second guess yourself too much. Forget about all the other chores (cooking, laundry etc - especially if you have a c-section) and focus on your baby. Get as much help as you can to allow you to enjoy every minute - they are tiny for such a short time, don't miss it!! Listen to all advice, try out things and find out what works for your baby and go with it. Have confidence in your self and don’t get too concerned about what you or your baby should or not be doing according to others. Oh and smile and laugh with your baby. Sleep as much as you can, have patience with your partner.

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 Steph Jury [email protected]

Parent Education Coordinator Can you help? [email protected]

Parent Education Bookings Can you help? [email protected]

Products Coordinator Can you help? [email protected]

Newsletter Editor Daniel Mapletoft [email protected]

E-News Editor Muirie Cook [email protected]

Newsletter Advertising Muirie Cook [email protected]

Grants & Fundraising Coordinator Can you help? [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 Jose Edmunds [email protected]

Volunteer Admin Coordinator Jess Maher [email protected]

Childbirth Education Convenor Carolyn Neilson [email protected]

Childbirth Education Bookings Can you help? [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/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 150 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 Aug/Sept 2014 issue, the deadline for copy is 1st July 2014.

For more information please contact our Newsletter

or Newsletter Advertising volunteers, see page 36

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

Orewa

Wednesday 11th June, 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Orewa Community Centre - Main Hall 40-46 Orewa Square, Moana Court Western Springs

Friday 13th June, 10:00am - 12:00pm

Western Springs Garden Community Hall 956 Great North Roads For more info, costs and bookings visit:

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

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

Documents

West Auckland Parents Centre Issue 186