The Babe in Arms

27/09/2025

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[ID: Quote. Amazing level of support. Have used this service loads and really impressed at the speed and quality of replies. Thank you. National Breastfeeding Helpline 0300 100 0212.]

26/09/2025

Pink cake with coconut sprinkles.

I had an afternoon out with my younger daughter, now 21, this week, we were reminiscing, as we do. I said how much I missed our long walks home from school. The primary school my children attended is just over a mile from our home. I liked the Mummy I was on a walk home, I was not distracted by all the household chores I had to do, I couldn’t be distracted by food preparations. I had all the time in the world to listen to them, hold their hands, slow down and enjoy their company.

On days when adulting and mothering felt too much for me I would take them home via Oddie’s and the park. Prolonging the time outside and reducing the time we’d have to be indoors before tea and snuggles before bed. I remember them all chomping various parts from a gingerbread someone, each of them going at it in a different order. Francesca remembers the days they didn’t have enough gingerbread folks and she chose a pink cake. A simple vanilla cupcake with pink icing and coconut sprinkles. She lit up recalling them.

Of all the things I spent time and money on, a simple pink cake is what brings her the loveliest memories. So when you feel like you’re not enough, remember you absolutely are. It’s not the grand, expensive, work intensive things your children will remember when they’re adults. It’s the little things, the small acts of love and togetherness that take root in their memory banks.

And so we can be nostalgic this evening eating left overs I’ve baked a vanilla cake with pink icing and coconut sprinkles for Baby Club.

Maybe see you there xx

24/09/2025

It’s been a week, my first born son has been deposited in south west wales and our whole house is adjusting. Everything feels off kilter and strange. Daily messages and a quick FaceTime chat have helped. It’s a new way of life for us all!

I’m on annual leave from the National Breastfeeidng Helpline, so I’ve had some whole nights in bed which has been lush. I’ve pottered in my yarden, planted my spring bulbs, mulched and tidied.

I’m off to meet a pregnant couple this evening, I’ve just packed my bag and I feel like a very odd Mary Poppins! We plan to explore; ordinary physiological birth, supported vaginal birth, Caesarean and induction. Wow, think we’ll all sleep well tonight!

19/09/2025

Chocolate Oreo cakes ready for this afternoon.
Looking forward to welcoming you all at 1.

Xx

12/09/2025

I’ve had the most wonderful day with the most phenomenal women and their tiny humans. There has been so much chat about birth.

How our babies arrive earth side truly shapes us as mothers and alters us forever more. Sometimes changes are positive; parents feel empowered and strong. Sometimes this change has a detrimental impact on a parent’s mental health and well-being and their enjoyment of parenthood. Often there is a mixture of the two.

Parents can be left experiencing intrusive thoughts, anxiety, hyper vigilance, sadness and self doubt. If remembering the conception of your baby, pregnancy, labour, birth or feeding journey triggers unwanted feelings, TBR 3 Step Rewind can help to lift those heavy feelings that come with remembering.

If you’d like some more information and an opportunity to explore if this brief intervention could be helpful to you please get in touch.

https://traumaticbirthrecovery.com/practitioners/alex-davies/

04/09/2025

Friday tomorrow, my favourite day fo the week!

I’m starting out with the first session of a new massage course and then I’m spending the afternoon at Baby Club. I’ve baked a chocolate and black cherry cake ready!

Baby Club runs each week, come along for:

💜 a warm welcome
💜 cake and a hot drink
💜 a space to meet other parents
💜 breastfeeding support

Remember:

🌟 big brothers and sisters are always welcome
🌟 suggested exchange of a fiver per family to help cover venue hire and cake baking supplies
🌟 all parents welcome
🌟 closed Facebook group - Burnley Baby Club - for updates and previews of the cake

Looking forward to welcoming you and your small human(s) there soon xx

02/09/2025

It’s stand in front of a door for your mum week!

I’ve waved my youngest baby off for the first day of his last year at high school. I’ve been doing the before school prep and the post school fallout since my oldest baby started primary school in 2005!

If you’re worried about them, sad that they can’t spend the day with you, feel like a bit of you is missing; that’s ok and perfectly normal. If you’re super excited for their new adventure and enjoying some time to be without them; that’s ok and perfectly normal. I think most parents are a combination of the two.

It doesn’t get easier, it hasn’t for me anyway. Someone said that having a child is like a piece of your heart walking around outside your body. It’s so true. I’ve sent each of them out into the world, hoping for them to be seen, acknowledged, admired and appreciated, loved like I love them. I want their voices to be heard. I’m terrified that the world will dull their sparkle, make them feel small. The world is an unkind place and as a family we’ve experienced many unpleasant and upsetting times. The hope is always to fill their bucket with so much love that there cannot be enough holes poked for it to be empty. I try. We all try.

I feel like I’m rambling now, I just wanted to say this is tough for many and I see you, I get it.

And I just might need some extra love later this month when I take my older son to university and leave him there!

01/09/2025

September is here, 2025 is moving so fast!

This month sees my youngest returning for his last year at high school, my other son sets off to university and I’m not sure how it will feel with piece of our family jigsaw missing. Our home renovations continue……

September also sees me welcoming a new group of parents for Baby Massage (one mat left for this Friday if you’d like to come along too), Baby Club will be happening every Friday. I’m meeting a new antenatal group this weekend.

Bookings for October’s antenatal course in Burnley has some spaces left and there are six mats left for October’s Baby Massage.

Whatever you’re up to as we approach autumn, I hope it brings you joy.

Hope to see you somewhere soon xx

30/08/2025

Come and join me on a massage mat.

You will get:

💜 five sessions
💜 a small group so you can get to know each other
💜 your own organic massage oil
💜 a massage handbook
💜 time to relax and connect with your baby
💜 a hot drink and sweet treat

Suitable from birth until your baby is crawling away from you.

There is just one space remaining on the next course, if you’d like to come along let me know, I look forward to welcoming you soon.

27/08/2025

We’re in the final week of the school summer holidays in our house, no one is looking forward to an early get-up next Tuesday morning!

I am, however, really looking forward to the 5th when Baby Massage restarts, there’s one space available to book if you’d like to come along.

Dates for October are now open for booking and there are just six spaces remaining.

If you’d like five weeks of calm and connection let me know xx

25/08/2025

The kindness of strangers…

Yesterday, hot and tired, sweaty and quite a bit fed up, my husband and I realised we couldn’t fit some garden furniture in the boot of the car. Some expletives passed my lips in B&M carpark. My brain went through all the variations and angles and then, moments later a lovely man and (I assume) his very pregnant partner appeared with a blue bungee cord.

This very kind gesture meant I could secure the boot and get home safely.

If that was you around 1:30 on Sunday afternoon, thank you so much. You improved my day. You restored my faith in humanity. If you spot me around and about please say hello.

Much love and luck for you both on the journey towards growing your family.

🥰

22/08/2025

It’s rainbow baby day.
A child that comes after a loss.
A joy that comes after a storm.
Many of us have experienced more than one storm.
Many of of have welcomed rainbow babies.
Many of us are still waiting for that shining light.

Sending my love to you all xx