Nest & Nurture - Bump, Birth & Beyond

Nest & Nurture - Bump, Birth & Beyond Supporting expectant parents & new families in Belper, Derbyshire and beyond.

Morning👋,I am at the Belper Community Hall today running Tea Club which is an expectant and new parent meet up between 1...
09/09/2025

Morning👋,

I am at the Belper Community Hall today running Tea Club which is an expectant and new parent meet up between 1.30 - 2.45pm.

What's on offer at Tea Club:
✨️ Cuppa and cake for the grown ups.
✨️ Mats, baby toys, sensory toys, books for the babies.
✨️ Baby weighing scales.
✨️ Support with breastfeeding/infant feeding, starting solids, infant sleep I am peer supporter trained.
✨️ I am a sling consultant so I can support you with your sling/carrier and make suggestions of other options to try.
✨️ There are a group of wonderful new mums already booked on to come along and with me will give you a very friendly welcome.

Where does it take place:
Belper Community Hall
Bridge Street
Belper
DE56 1BA

Where do I park?:
You can park in the car park at the community hall or in the pay and display on Bridge Street or Field Lane.

Booking:
You can pre-book your place here: https://nestnurture.as.me/teaclub

Most bodies are built to give birth brilliantly, but here’s the thing, our modern lifestyle might actually be getting in...
08/09/2025

Most bodies are built to give birth brilliantly, but here’s the thing, our modern lifestyle might actually be getting in the way.

A lot of us are sitting at desks all day, lounging on sofas possibly binge-watching a Netflix series, lying in comfy beds, and spending hours in cars.

Meanwhile, our minds? Always ON and we rarely switch off or spend time in stillness.

This combination can create more imbalance in the body which in turn increases tension & tightness, all of this can reduce the space your baby needs for a smooth, efficient labour. When we don't spend time switching off our bodies and minds aren't used to being in a restaurant and digest status, therefore making it more challenging to switch off and let go in labour.

🌿 I truly believe in the wisdom of birthing bodies, but in the 11 years or so as a teacher and in the 6 years of being a doula I have seen the impact that modern life has on labour and birth. Today our lifestyle has stopped us moving as intuitively as nature intended. Of course, genetics, anatomy, past traumas all play a role, but here’s what you can influence:

💡 Simple, mindful movement makes an enormous difference.

Try this:
✨Move daily (even a little counts).
✨Stand between meetings.
✨Swap your chair for a birth ball.
✨Watch TV on all fours over your ball.
✨Sit backwards on a chair.
✨Sit on your hands for anterior pelvic tilt relief.
✨Use your birth ball, rock, figure-8 your hips (hips lower than knees!).

In addition:
🧘🏽‍♀️ Go to a pregnancy yoga class, one which focuses on slow yoga vs strength. It’s about softness, release and active birth prep.
🌬️ Book on hypnobirthing classes, so you can practice calming your body + mind, get used to be rather than thinking or doing and you will also pick up education (reducing fear + tension) and useful breathing, visualization,
💆🏽‍♀️ Women’s Health osteopath or physio, so worth it for re-balancing the body and releasing held tension.

📍Derbyshire therapists I would recommend:
Osteopath: https://aboutbacksandbones.com/
Physio: Embrace Physio
Acupuncture: Ann-Marie Shepherd Acupuncture
Doula: A doula with biomechanics for birth knowledge (this is something I have trained in twice)

Your body is brilliant at growing babies. Give it the movement, mindset & support it deserves during pregnancy, so that you are giving your body and baby the best chance for an easier labour and birth.

What’s Tara up to this week? 👀✨After a wonderful holiday in Ireland I am ready to get back to classes and see all the ma...
08/09/2025

What’s Tara up to this week? 👀✨

After a wonderful holiday in Ireland I am ready to get back to classes and see all the mamas and babies.

Here’s what’s happening:
🤰 Antenatal & Birth Prep 🤰
It’s week 1 of Nurtured Birthing! This week we are talking about centred breath and the wonder that is the uterus muscle.

Perfect for anyone in their 2nd or 3rd trimester who wants to feel calm, informed, and empowered. Missed this term? September term is open for booking and spaces are filling up quickly.

It is also week 1 of pregnancy yoga in Ripley too, expect a flowing yoga class with plenty of releasing and relaxing.

👶 Baby Classes & Workshops
Wednesday's and Thursday’s
🐤 Nestlings (4/5 to 10 months) – It’s Week 1 or 6 and we will be doing baby yoga and sensory play
🐣 Hatchlings (4 weeks to 5 months) – Week 1 and we are covering leg massage and baby reflexology The kind of grounding, gentle space that helps you exhale.

Both classes are followed with a warm cuppa and cake.

Social
Tea Club is on this week on Tuesday from 1.30 - 2.45pm, with toys, books and cuppa and cake for the grown ups, plus babywearing fit check, breastfeeding, starting solids and postnatal recovery support.

🤱 Doula Support – This week’s availability
✨ I am fully booked this week for daytime doula support, however I do have time for online evening consultations, especially if you are considering doula support for next year.

📲 Want to join a class or book support?
DM me or head to nestnurture.co.uk

✨ Looking forward to seeing so many of you this week💫

🤰Birth Story Sunday🤰I am so pleased to be able to share this important induction/c-section birth story. 🎂 Birthday: 25/0...
07/09/2025

🤰Birth Story Sunday🤰

I am so pleased to be able to share this important induction/c-section birth story.

🎂 Birthday: 25/02/2024
📅 EDD: 01/03/2024
👶 First baby
⚖️ Birth weight: 8lbs 7oz
🏠 Planned: Hospital - Followed advice later on in pregnancy to have an induction
🛁 Actual: induction at 39+3 days
⌛ Length of labour: 14.5 hrs
💊 Pain relief: Gas & Air and Epidural

I felt very fit, well and happy in pregnancy but was more than ready when I finished work at 35 wks. About two weeks before I felt Alistair was really moving into position and was more than ready to have him. At my last two hospital appts it was decided and agreed on that for me to be booked in to have an induction, as all the medical professionals thought Alistair would have a big head and therefore struggle to be born naturally and a C-section was mentioned but I but that far away in my mind.

The induction started off on assessment unit and moved down to labour ward same evening of arrival (due to staffing shortage but ended up having my water break early the next morning).

The midwife looking after me did a membrane sweep and informed me of the first stage of induction which was a pessary and that it could be a long process!?! No kidding!

My labour really started at 3:45 am on Sunday 25th February when my water broke. By this time I’d had a pessary, two lots of gel and two examinations. Although my waters had broke it just felt like a had bad front and back pain, similar to period pain but stronger. The lovely midwife looking after me brought me tea and toast and told me not to ring my husband till later on with it being Sunday, as the roads would be quiet and to let him lie in.

Both Alistair and I were closely monitored and I was told a I’d be moved into a labour room late morning as one would be free then. I was fine during labour up until mid-late afternoon as it felt like it was draining and not progressing. Another examination showed I still had waters which needed to be broke and I was still only 3/4 cm dilated. Luckily my husband kept be amused and entertained watching the rugby and feeding me sweets and drinks. When I felt the pain was getting too much I agreed to have an epidural and not long after I had an oxytocin drip (I’d also had gas & air by this point which made me literally see stars!) which was ramped up further along.

Finally around 5:45/6pm both my husband and I had figured out that I’d be having a C-section as the room started getting busier. The staff looking after us where getting concerned that I was tired which I was but Alistair wasn’t showing any signs of distress. In all honesty I think they felt they’d thrown the book at me and didn’t know how much longer it would all take, so I signed to have an c-section and was briskly whisked off to theatre to meet my little Alistair.

Lots of staff were telling me what they would be doing throughout and husband sat next to me in a fetching set of scrubs. It was a very quick C-section with Alistair whisked straight off to be checked over which felt like a life time. Little did anyone know he was born with the cord round his neck, when lifted up out of my stomach (I didn’t realise till later on what a major operation I’d just had either).

The moment he came into the world felt like the scene out of the Lion King as Alistair was held up high with the big bright circular theatre light encircling him!

I really wished it could have been a vaginal birth and I know now we went along with everything thinking the professionals knew best and got swayed into it all through ‘white coat syndrome/they know best’ when the only person who truly knew was me. I personally feel a C-section was chosen as the staff wanted to get things over and done with and didn’t want it to go on any longer.

Next time, I’d try for a home birth and if not a midwife-led unit birth.

Do you have a story you would like to share? Get in touch via my DMs.

What do you mean you haven’t booked a space on a Nest & Nurture class yet? Get your space on a mat and join other mums a...
06/09/2025

What do you mean you haven’t booked a space on a Nest & Nurture class yet?

Get your space on a mat and join other mums and babies already booked on, in a baby massage or baby yoga classes in Belper or Ripley.

Classes start next week (w/c 8/9) on Wednesday in Ripley and Thursday in Belper at Belper Community Hall. Be sure to book this weekend before booking closes on Monday.

Nest & Nurture baby classes are the perfect way:
- To connect and bond with your baby using massage, touch, reflexology and baby yoga 🧘‍♀️
- Aid your baby's development 👶
- To get out of the house and find your mum tribe 👭

In a class:
- All mums are welcome regardless of your parenting choices
- You can wear what you like even if you rock up in your PJ's (well yoga bottom look like PJ's right???) 👕
- It doesn’t matter if you are late ⏳
- There is no such thing as a “good” baby (if your baby cries, needs feeding, needs changing or just needs a cuddle that’s completely fine and normal) 😊
- You will be with mums of babies the same age, going through the same joys and challenges with the chance to make some new friends as well 👍
- Oh and drink a hot cup of tea/coffee ☕and eat cake at the end of each class 🍪 🍰
So what are you waiting for..? 😉

👇Comment for more information and book details.

🎒Starting School🎒To all the parents who have little ones starting school this year. I wrote this nine years ago and I st...
04/09/2025

🎒Starting School🎒

To all the parents who have little ones starting school this year. I wrote this nine years ago and I still remember all the big feelings she and I had when she started school. This year she is year 9 of secondary school and my youngest is doing her last year of primary school, time does fly.

Good luck to all the little ones starting school who have been to classes with me and to their parents. Thinking about all of you however you are feeling about this big transition.

"My first born starts school next week and as you can imagine I am a proud mummy but I am also reminded just how quickly she has grown from that tiny little baby into the wonderful little girl she has become.

Before I became a mum for the first time I thought that I would be the one to teach my children and help them to grow. Little did I know just how much she and her sister would actually teach me, challenge me to my limits, show me my true strength of character and change my world completely.

I have been so lucky as over the last month my soon to be school girl and I have had the chance to spend every Wednesday and Thursday together. Her sister has just started a new nursery and I took the chance to take her out of pre-school early. So we have been to the cinema, played in the park, had picnics in the garden and done a lot of baking.

I am so thankful for that time and will remember it as a time that we enjoyed each others company before she started her new adventures. While I know I will be there for the ride with her I can't help but feel things will change, she will grow and develop and I have to let her go slightly.

So mummies whether your little one is starting school this year, or whether you are cradling a newborn in your arms or have just tucked in your toddler for the night. The days are long but blimey the years are short."

What if no one had ever told us about wake windows or self-soothing? What if “drowsy but awake” wasn’t the “goal” we wer...
04/09/2025

What if no one had ever told us about wake windows or self-soothing?

What if “drowsy but awake” wasn’t the “goal” we were told our baby needs to achieve?

What if we were taught early on that it’s completely normal for humans to wake through the night and that babies need us to help them feel safe enough to drift back to sleep?

Maybe then, we wouldn’t feel like we’re failing when we’re tired.
Maybe we’d expect parenthood to be hard and know how to prepare for it.
Maybe we’d lean into community, compassion, and support instead of unrealistic expectations.

✨ Did you know I am a doula with experience in supporting parents with their little ones sleep. I also run a sleep workshop to help parents understand and unlearn what they have been told about babies and sleep. ✨

The next workshop is on Friday 12 September from 11am-1.30pm in Belper. Check out my stories for the link.

Hello You 👋, I have taken a bit of a break from social media this Summer while I was away with my family in Ireland 🇮🇪 (...
03/09/2025

Hello You 👋,

I have taken a bit of a break from social media this Summer while I was away with my family in Ireland 🇮🇪 (lots of my social media posts were pre-scheduled 😉). We had an amazing holiday and stayed in Hollywood (Wicklow), Galway, Westport, Ballyshannon (Donegal) and one night in a Shepherds Hut at the end which meant that we could visit Tara (yes it's a sacred and ancient space in County Meath).

There was lots of walking in the sunshine and sometimes in the rain 😂, going to deserted golden beaches, catching up with our Irish family, eating good food, discovering new places, chatting to a book shop owner who worked in the movies. I also managed lots of book reading (I read 6 books 📚). Of course there were a few pints of Guinness and some fab Irish breakfasts too. I miss it already and always feel it is my second home.

When we came back on the ferry yesterday I wanted to go back and do it all again.

However as I was coming home I remembered how lucky I was to be coming back to a job (not really a job 😉) that I love doing. What an honour it is to be a doula and be present with a family as their baby is born and to support that transition to parenthood.

What a joy it is to teach classes that bring people together from bump to baby and beyond. It's wonderful to be able to watch expectant and new mamas get to know one another and watch friendships grow and develop and see the support they show each other.

How amazing it is to create and grow communities of parents there to support one another.

I have been 'working' a little bit over the holidays as I was supporting a family virtually with the birth of their second baby. It won't be long before I am fully back in the swing of things next week.

So if you want to come and join a class and you are expecting or you are a new parent all classes are open for booking and there are only a few spaces left.

Send me a PM if you don't want to miss out or you would like to enquire about doula services for 2026.

📝 Testimonial Tuesday 📝It's always fantastic to receive feedback and knowing how much the classes, community and connect...
02/09/2025

📝 Testimonial Tuesday 📝

It's always fantastic to receive feedback and knowing how much the classes, community and connection make a difference to women in pregnancy and motherhood.

"Thank you for all of your words of wisdom and support for the second time round, it really is hugely appreciated. The space you create for women to be open, focus on themselves and their baby (plus getting to relax and eat cake), really is a special one."

Laura

🍂 September Offerings for Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond 🍂As the seasons shift and we settle into September, it’s a wonderful...
02/09/2025

🍂 September Offerings for Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond 🍂

As the seasons shift and we settle into September, it’s a wonderful time to focus on preparing for birth, bonding with your baby, or simply finding your rhythm as a parent. At Nest & Nurture, I offer empowering, practical, and nurturing classes and workshops designed to help you feel calm, confident, and connected, wherever you are on your journey. 💛

✨ For Pregnancy & Birth
🧘 Pregnancy Yoga (Ripley)
Gentle, supportive weekly yoga sessions designed to ease common pregnancy aches, build strength, calm your mind, and help you connect with your baby.

🤰 Nurtured Birthing (Belper)
A unique blend of pregnancy yoga and antenatal education. These sessions not only support your changing body but also prepare you emotionally and practically for a positive birth in a truly nurturing space.

💫 Nurtured Hypnobirthing
A 10-hour birth preparation course that gives you real, practical tools for labour and birth. Expect knowledge, confidence, calm, and even excitement about the big day.

🤱 Breastfeeding Workshop
Learn how breastfeeding works, how to get off to the best start, and what to do if you face challenges. With evidence-based information and local support signposting, you don’t have to figure it all out on your own.

✨ For Babies & Beyond
🐣 Hatchlings (4w–5m)
The perfect first class for you and your baby. Each session includes baby massage, reflexology, gentle baby yoga, postnatal yoga, and plenty of support to help you bond and feel more confident.
• Ripley – Wednesdays
• Belper – Thursdays

🐤 Nestlings (5–10m)
A relaxed and friendly class with gentle parent & baby yoga, songs, sensory play, and time to connect with your baby and with other parents.
• Ripley – Wednesdays
• Belper – Thursdays

👶 Babywearing Workshop
Discover the many benefits of carrying your baby, explore different types of slings and carriers, and learn how to use them safely and comfortably.

😴 Baby Sleep Workshop
A realistic, evidence-based approach to infant sleep. Learn about safe sleep and co-sleeping, while finding ways to navigate those early months with less stress and more confidence.

🥄 Starting Solids Workshop (Online)
Wondering how and when to begin? This 2-hour session covers everything you need to feel confident about weaning—practical tips, safety guidance, and plenty of reassurance, all from the comfort of your home.

🚽 Toddler Led Toileting Workshop (Online)
Ready to ditch the nappies? This 2-hour online workshop helps you recognise signs of readiness and approach toileting in a respectful, child-led way.

✨ 1:1 Support
🫶 Sometimes a more personalised approach feels right. I offer private hypnobirthing, birth planning, doula support, and even birth pool & TENS hire.

💻 Booking is easy via my website: http://www.nestnurture.co.uk
📩 Or feel free to message me directly with any questions.

💛 You don’t have to do it all alone. Come find your village this September, your journey into parenthood deserves to feel calm, supported, and connected. 💛

Did you know that the toilet is often referred to as the dilation station during labour?This is because: 🚽 you are natur...
01/09/2025

Did you know that the toilet is often referred to as the dilation station during labour?

This is because:
🚽 you are naturally more likely to relax your pelvic floor and perineum while sitting on the toilet.
🚽 the bathroom is a place of privacy, solitude and safety which have an impact on our oxytocin and endorphins both helpful hormones for birth
🚽 you are used to relaxing and letting go in this room.
🚽 you are using gravity
🚽 you are opening your pelvis.
🚽 you are allowing your baby lots of room to rotate and descend
🚽 you can also turn around and straddle the toilet with a pillow in front of you for comfort.

So now you know why it is called the “dilation station”. Many people have spent some time labouring on the toilet, also it is not uncommon for baby to come rather quickly after that 🤗

Did you do this during your labour?

📷

Address

Belper Community Hall
Belper
DE56 1BA

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
7pm - 9pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm

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Empowering education and support from pregnancy to parenthood

Hello and welcome to the Nest & Nurture - Bump, Birth & Beyond page.

Hi, my name is Tara Luke and I am passionate about all things pregnancy, birth and babies. I really love supporting parents in pregnancy to know their choices to feel confident, relaxed and empowered about the birth of their baby. Being pregnant and having a baby can be such a special time, but it also brings change and with it a whole range of mixed emotions and feelings. So as a doula and teacher I am focused on creating a safe nurturing space, a listening ear and non-judgemental support.