Nursery and Baby Tips

There's no doubt that it's easy to forget about the Fourth Trimester ... oh but wait, you thought there were only 3..? Not so - the Fourth Trimester (also known as postpartum) is easy to dismiss. Between your fertility journey, your pregnancy and then the actual birth, it's hard to find the energy to do or think about anything else. However, having a postpartum plan is incredibly helpful to make sure you're feeling supported in those crucial first few weeks and months... it really does take a village! Here are some helpful hints - care of childbirth educator ‘Christina McKay’ - to help you prepare for the fourth trimester, because we were never meant to do this alone.  Book a Postpartum Doula This is all about you! The experience of becoming a mother is transformative. Hiring a Doula can be a huge support to you as a new mother. A non-judgemental ear, delicious meals, a hot coffee bought from your favourite cafe, someone to hold the baby whilst you have a shower, a nap or fold all of that dreading washing... yes please! All Doulas have different offerings so find one that best suits your family and your needs and remember, it's not only the baby that needs to feel held and supported. Nourishing Food Stocking up your freezer with warming nourishing meals really takes the stress out of those first few weeks. You could cook them yourself in those last few weeks of pregnancy, outsource this to family and friends via a meal train or leave it to the professionals and order meals from postpartum food delivery services. Remember to make a few different snacks also - think one-handed freezer-friendly snacks, eg, protein balls, savory muffins, peanut butter filled dates or lactation cookies. Set Boundaries It’s important to give yourself space and the time you need after giving birth, so Christina suggests set boundaries with family and friends before your baby arrives. Do you want your visitors to have had the Whooping Cough Vaccine? Who (if anyone) is welcome to visit you in the first few days after birth or at the hospital? Are you happy for visitors to kiss your baby? What are the rules around friends / family bringing over their kids if unwell? How long do you want visitors to stay for, usually we recommend no more than 45 mins to an hour. Perhaps you’d like to establish set ‘visiting hours’. Are you happy for visitors to post photos of your baby online? There are so many things to think about and having boundaries set in place will reduce friction and make those first weeks a lot more enjoyable for you and your family. Outsource Help Help could be anything from friends or family walking your dog, doing school drop off or pick up for your older children, taking bub for a walk in the pram so you can have a rest or bringing you groceries. If it's within your budget, hiring a cleaner can also take the pressure off. Surrender to motherhood and ask for help. Appointments & Bookings Christina suggests trying to create a few bookings, appointments or meetings before your baby arrives, if you can manage it. Your future self will thank you! If you already see a therapist, book in future appointments so you don't have to wait. It's a great opportunity to debrief your birth or navigate the baby blues in those early days. Book a Lactation Consultant For some mothers, breastfeeding can be incredibly challenging and doesn't come as naturally as we would like - it's a learned skill for you and baby, so professional help can mean the world of difference. It helps to have a supportive, comfortable recliner chair to support you and bubs while you figure out what your feeding journey will look like. Book a Women’s Physio/Pelvic Floor Specialist No matter how you have birthed, this service can be very helpful in healing and getting a good reading of where your pelvic floor is at post birth. Seeking help early can avoid issues down the track. Create ‘Me Time’ What is going to fill your cup? A massage, a pedicure, yoga, breakfast with your best friend - finding time outside of mothering is important. This could be as simple as doing a 10 min meditation and having a cup of tea alone, whilst your partner takes the baby for a walk or a long bath - uninterrupted of course.  Be Patient Lastly, it’s important to practise patience, with your baby, with yourself and your recovery - healing takes time! It's taken the good part of a year to make a baby, and it takes a long time to heal - 6 weeks is how long it takes for your uterus to go back down to pre-baby size and this should not an indication as to when you should be or feel ready to resume 'normal' life again. You're in a new season of life that cannot and should not be rushed. You take care, Mumma xx  

Currently in Australia, 1 in 3 women reportedly experience the birth of their child as traumatic. "A lot of women I've met working in the birth space are doing so after giving birth themselves - mainly due to an innate desire to help other women have better birthing experiences than they did themselves. With incredibly higher rates of intervention and mothers trying to navigate arguably the most transformative experience of their lives, whilst being 'on the clock', it's time for women to take back their power, be able to advocate for themselves and feel safe, heard, empowered and calm during birth."    Christina discovered Hypnobirthing after the birth of her first child and went on to become a Hypnobirthing Practitioner, and in using all the tools she had learnt, have a beautiful and healing second birth.    The Hypnobirthing Australia Course is positive childbirth education. It gives you and your birth partner the tools, knowledge and preparation for an empowered birth...whatever that looks like for you. It assists you in creating an environment conducive to relaxation and letting go, because when we learn to surrender to birth our bodies relax and giving birth with a relaxed body and mind is so much easier than if it's tense and fearful.    The tools and techniques you will learn in Hypnobirthing are such things as:   self hypnosis and relaxation techniques  mind and body connection breathing & visualisations techniques massage & acupressure optimal birth positioning the birth process and decision making tools  bonding with baby and your birth partner  There are so many tools that you AND your birth partner can use during pregnancy, birth and postpartum, that leave you feeling calm, empowered and involved.    Christina also gives you a lot of useful information for preparing for your postpartum, such as stocking up your freezer with nourishing meals and one handed snacks (exactly what you need when feeding your baby) possibly hiring a Lactation Consultant, Doula, Pelvic Floor Specialist, outsourcing help to friends or family and so much more.    Golden Bump services Melbourne, the Yarra Valley and couples via online sessions.

When it comes to what your baby is going to sleep on the options are endless. From, cot’s to co sleepers to bassinets and moses baskets. Each one has their pro’s and con’s. Parents of newborns tend to choose a bassinet or co sleeper which is an easy option to wheel around from room-to-room day and night. In a nutshell, co sleepers are designed to help the bond between parent and baby, give you piece of mind that your baby is close by as well as the ease of having them right there to feed. When choosing to use a bassinet or co-sleeper it is important to be informed about Red Nose safe sleep recommendations. If you do choose to use a bassinet that has a co sleeper function, ensure you always securing it to the side of the bed with the use of the straps provided. Red nose recommend: Always place baby on their back to sleep. Make sure baby’s face and head remain uncovered. Making sure the mattress is firm and flat- not elevated or tilted. Ensuring bedding and sheets don’t cover baby’s face. Keeping pillows and adult bedding away from baby’s face. Ensuring baby cannot fall out of the bed.  When to stop using a co-sleeper or bassinet It is recommended to only have your baby sleeping in a bassinet until 6 months of age or until baby starts rolling back to front or front to back, whichever comes first. At this stage it is time to transition them out of the bassinet or co-sleeper due to the risks of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). If you're wanting to learn more about babies sleep, you can find Bianca here.  

Say hello to even more features and colours with our new CoZee BreeZe Bedside Sleeper & Bassinet. Preparing for your baby can become overwhelming. There’s so much to consider and so many reference points. Typically, the most common baby questions are on sleep. How to dress your baby for sleep? How many layers does my baby need to sleep in to stay warm and stay asleep? What is a TOG?! Why is a breathable mattress important for safe sleeping? Why do I need a bassinet? Particularly one that rocks? What does a safe bassinet look like? Just to name a few. At iLTutto, it’s our mission not only to provide soon-to-be parents with the most supportive, comfortable and stylish nursery furniture, but we’re here to give you the best customer care so help you on your research & journey.  It’s advised that the first 6 – 12 months, your baby should sleep in the same room as you. While a Cot will last longer in your house, the bassinet size bed is a more realistic option for your baby to sleep in. Our new CoZee Bedside Sleeper & Bassinethas been designed to be a safe bedside bassinet for your baby to stay by your side for the first 4 months, whether it’s attached to your bed (the safest way to co-sleep) or used as a stand-alone bassinet with rocking legs, to gently rock your baby to sleep. The CoZee Breeze offers features you didn’t even know you’ll be needing or wanting during your fourth trimester; Breathable Mattress for CoZee Breeze plus, 3 new stylish colours, Full length mesh side panels for air flow and breathability, Wheels included in both models for movement around the house, Breeze Plus comes with rocking wheels to create a soothing motion to calm baby, Securely attaches to the side of your bed so your newborn is at arms-length while sleeping in their own safe sleep environment, Drop side offers easy access to your baby, Creates a easy portabletravel cot, as it can be packed down in 30 seconds, Storage shelf to make life a little easier, An be used as a co sleeping cot.  The Breeze hasn’t been designed just to make parents life easier, the CoZee Breeze also assists with settling the baby with its rocking legs to create a rocking bassinet. This mimics the soothing movements of a mother’s womb for your newborn.  The CoZee also offers 6 adjustable height positions so if your little one experiences congestion or reflux it can help relieve those horrible symptoms. Standard in all CoZee Breeze models are both the double meshed side panels & bassinet with wheels to make movement around your home easy.The Breeze Plus will include the addition of the breathable mesh mattress which assist with keeping your baby cool and dry. So, you can now cross “find the perfect bassinet” off that extensive to-do list, the CoZee Breeze won’t disappoint as a bassinet, portable cot or as a bedside bassinet For everything else on your list, iLTutto offers a wide range of nursing furniture to assist you during this exciting time. 

Posted by Bianca from plan B sleep Consulting Being discharged from hospital with a newborn can be an extremely daunting process. Not only are you experiencing an extensive number of emotions, but you may also have a lot of questions. Here are my top tips for the transition from hospital to home in the first few weeks and what to expect.  A certain amount of crying can be very normal in the first few weeks. This is better known as purple cry which is period in which your little one may be extremely unsettled. It usually begins around week 2 and can last until around 3-4 months. Allow your baby to differentiate between night and day. This doesn’t mean you have to sleep them in complete daylight, but it can be a fraction lighter if needed. Around 6 weeks I would ensure they sleep in a completely pitch-black room for both day and night sleep. At this age it is important to continue providing a dark environment for sleep. Although babies receive a certain amount of melatonin from breastmilk, they start producing their own at 6 weeks. By creating a dark environment, it will help her to wind down and reduce distractions. Follow a feed play sleep routine. Newborns only need to be awake for a fraction of time. Aim for around 40-45 minutes. Watch for sleepy cues. These can include whinging, red eyebrows, staring, rubbing their face, yawning, no eye contact, clenched fists, arching their back or hysterical crying.  Ensure a good wind down before each nap which can include taking them into a dark room, changing the nappy and having a cuddle. Allow for one motionless sleep a day in which they are in their cot. Focus on swaddling them with a jersey wrap rather than arm up zip bags. You want to completely reduce their startle reflex. Start consistency from day one with little cues such as a bath in the evening to wind them down. Over time you little one will be able to identify this means their big sleep is coming.  Use a white noise machine from day one rather than using it on an iPhone or iPad. The reason for this is because android let off a high pitch frequency that can irritate baby’s ears. Aim to have your white noise sitting at around 60-65 db.