Self Care & Community Care
Night parenting is hard sometimes. In order to support our babies at night, we need to support ourselves as best we can. If we address our own needs for movement, rest, play, nutrition, hydration, adult connection and time alone, we can be in a much better position to care for our babies and find joy in our parenting.
Gentle Yoga and Relaxation Practice
A gentle yoga and relaxation practice especially for mothers of wakeful babies. It's slow, easy-going movement with a focus on shoulders, neck and back which all carry so much tension. Suitable for everyone from 6 weeks post-partum (or 12 weeks if you had a C-section).
Gentle Sleep Peer Support
A free, drop-in group at Rodborough Community Hall in which you can join me and other local parents to learn about normal baby sleep, connect with others, and seek support. The group meets monthly and you can book your place at bookwhen.com/stroudgentlesleepsupport
Lightening the domestic load
Sometimes it's not our baby's sleep which is the real problem, but the overwhelm of everything else that we have to keep on top of. During rough patches with sleep, thinking practically about the division of labour at home and how you might be able to lighten the load can be crucial. This guide is a list of tips gathered from the Stroud Gentle Parenting Network community to help make things more manageable at home.
Side-carring a cot
Side-carring a full sized cot to your own bed can provide the proximity of bed-sharing with the reassurance and extra space of separate sleeping surfaces. It's a great option for babies who have outgrown their next-to-me but aren't ready to be sleeping in their own space, or for parents who don't want to bed-share but know that their baby benefits from closeness. It can also be a gentle way to transition towards solo sleep in a cot. Here's a simple how-to guide.