Huddle & Bliss

23/09/2025

💛 Preparing for C-Section Recovery

Whether it’s planned or unexpected, a caesarean birth is still a birth — and preparation can make recovery smoother, calmer, and far less daunting.

📊 Right now, around 54% of births in our local trust are by caesarean — this is incredibly common and not a sign of anything going wrong. It’s simply one of the many safe, valid ways babies arrive earthside.

🛌 Rest is vital, not optional
Major abdominal surgery needs time to heal. Think weeks, not days. Let people help, and park the guilt — you are recovering and caring for a newborn.

🧘‍♀️ Gentle movement matters
Short, frequent walks around the house boost circulation and support healing. Add deep breathing and pelvic floor activations once you feel able — these can start as early as day one (with your midwife’s go-ahead).

🎒 Plan your home set-up
Keep baby-changing essentials at hip height to avoid bending, and prep comfy feeding nests on each floor of the house. Step stools can help with getting in/out of bed or the sofa safely.

🍲 Fuel your body
Prioritise protein, fibre, and fluids — you’re rebuilding tissue, fighting inflammation, and likely on iron supplements. Meals don’t need to be gourmet; they just need to be ready to grab.

💛 Go gently on yourself
Emotional recovery matters too. Birth can be intense, especially when it doesn’t go to plan. Talk, write, cry, laugh — and remind yourself you’re doing brilliantly.

✨ Looking ahead
Once you’re around 12 weeks post-surgery, it’s the ideal time to consider joining a structured Postnatal Recovery Programme to gently rebuild your core, pelvic floor and overall strength in a safe, supportive environment. This can help you move forward with confidence and care. Get in touch with me if you want more info.

22/09/2025

This empowering no-nonsense 8-week programme combines Pilates-based movement, breathwork and guided relaxation to help you build strength, reduce tension, and prepare for birth — whether that’s a planned C-section, spontaneous labour, or anything in between.

Each 75-minute session is carefully designed to support your changing body, focusing on deep core and pelvic floor awareness, breath-led movement, posture and functional strength — while also promoting nervous system calm to ease anxiety, improve sleep and support infant brain development.

Led by women’s wellness expert Sherry Prosser in a clinically based, welcoming studio, Birth-Ready offers evidence-backed tools that support your body through late pregnancy, birth, and the early stages of recovery — no matter how your baby is born.

🗓 Starts Saturday 4th October 9.30am
📍Clinically based Northampton studio with free onsite parking
👶 Suitable from second trimester to birth
🤰Small groups classes

Follow the link below for full information and booking.
https://bookwhen.com/huddleandbliss/e/ev-s3lk-20251004093000

22/09/2025

I received the most beautiful thank you card on Friday, and it honestly meant the world to me. 💛

While I would never share the contents of private messages (no matter how moving), I just wanted to pause and acknowledge how deeply rewarding moments like this are.
Running a small business is tough — it’s long hours, unseen graft, and pouring every ounce of your heart and soul into something you believe in. So when someone takes the time to send words of gratitude, it cuts through the chaos like sunlight. It reminds you why you do it, especially on the hard days.

I’ve had the privilege of supporting this incredible woman through pregnancy, postnatal recovery, early motherhood… and now into a new chapter of her life. She’s become so much more than a client — she’s a dear friend. There are definitely times when it really is good to mix business with pleasure 💛

Sherry x

22/09/2025

👶✨ The Sucking & Rooting Reflexes ✨👶

Babies are born with an incredible set of reflexes that support their survival and early development. Two of the most important are the sucking reflex and the rooting reflex.

💡 The sucking reflex is exactly what you see here — when something touches your baby’s lips or mouth, they instinctively suck. It’s how they feed, soothe, and regulate.
💡 The rooting reflex happens when you gently stroke around your baby’s cheek or mouth. You’ll notice them turn their head and open their mouth, searching for the breast or bottle.

During infant massage, when we lightly touch around the mouth, we can stimulate this rooting reflex. This not only strengthens your baby’s feeding responses but also supports early bonding through positive touch.

💭 Next time you’re with your baby, try gently tracing your finger along their cheek and notice how beautifully they respond — nature’s way of showing how wired they are for connection and nurture.

🌿

21/09/2025

🌀 Rock ‘n’ Roll… and the Startle Reflex 🌀

At Huddle & Bliss, our Yoga Babies sessions do so much more than just make little ones giggle — they actively support their neurological development.

One of the key things we work on is the integration of the startle reflex (also called the Moro reflex). This reflex is present from birth and is completely normal — you’ll see it when babies suddenly fling their arms and legs out as if they’ve had a shock.

💛 Gentle rocking, rolling, and rhythmic movements in our classes help:
Teach baby’s nervous system how to calm after being startled
Build trust and body awareness
Support the brain’s transition from reflexive reactions to purposeful movement

📝 Did you know?

Current research suggests that we shouldn’t suppress this reflex by tightly swaddling babies with their arms pinned. While swaddling used to be encouraged, we now know it can actually delay this crucial integration process. Allowing babies to move freely and experience this reflex is how their brains learn to regulate it — a vital step in their early motor development.

So, yes — when we say “Rock ‘n’ Roll” in class… we really mean it.
We’re helping their brains and bodies grow strong, one joyful wiggle at a time. 💛

21/09/2025

🌿 Why Baby Massage Is Taught Slowly

If someone stripped you off, laid you on the floor of a strange room surrounded by strangers… you’d feel a bit vulnerable too, right?

That’s why baby massage is taught gently and gradually — always at your baby’s pace.

🦶 Week 1 — Just feet and legs
👣 Week 2 — Repeat feet and legs, and gently add the tummy (great for digestion)
🤲 Week 3 — Repeat and then add the chest, arms and hands
🔁 …and so on and so on, gradually building until your baby enjoys a full-body massage

This steady build:
✨ Creates repeat positive experiences for baby
✨ Builds parental confidence and skill
✨ Allows baby to understand what’s happening and adapt happily

Baby massage isn’t about racing through a routine — it’s about nurturing trust, security and connection, one little limb at a time. 💛

21/09/2025

20/09/2025

“You’ll make a rod for your own back if you keep picking that baby up…”

An outdated phrase we still hear far too often.

Let’s set the record straight: you cannot spoil a baby by holding them.
Human babies are born the most vulnerable of any mammal. They are wired to seek closeness for survival, safety, and emotional regulation. When we respond to their cries, pick them up, cuddle them, and reassure them, we are not creating bad habits—we are building trust.

This is what responsive parenting is all about:
🤱 Teaching babies that the world is safe.
🧠 Supporting healthy brain development.
💗 Strengthening secure attachment.
🌱 Laying the foundations for resilient, confident adults who know their needs matter.

So hold that baby. Rock them, carry them, comfort them.
Far from making a rod for your back, you’re giving them the strongest possible start.

Want to find out more about growing your baby in the best possible way? Join our classes and community via the link below or in the bio.

https://bookwhen.com/huddleandbliss

20/09/2025

👣 The Magic of Baby Feet

Those tiny toes aren’t just ridiculously cute — they’re busy building the foundations for walking, balance, and coordination.

At birth, babies have no bones in their feet — just soft cartilage that will gradually harden as they grow. Every wriggle, push and kick helps shape and strengthen their feet for the future.

Newborns also have two key reflexes in their feet:
Plantar reflex — the toes curl in when the sole is stroked (this one sticks around for life 🦶)

Babinski reflex — the toes fan out and the big toe lifts when the sole is stroked (this fades as their nervous system matures)

Sherry will help you to activate these reflexes in your baby's feet week one of baby massage!

🧠 All this is why it’s so important to let your baby have bare feet time — so they can move freely, feel the ground, and develop the strength and sensory feedback they need.

Tight socks, pram shoes or rigid baby shoes can get in the way of that natural development — keep it barefoot and let nature do its thing. 🌿

19/09/2025

✨ Next H&B Signature Baby Massage ✨

Starting Wednesday 5th November at 1pm

No crack-of-dawn chaos here — this beautifully timed class is perfect for first-time parents who want to take the morning slow. ☕️💛

Our Signature Baby Massage course is designed to help you:
🫶 Strengthen your bond with your baby
🧘‍♀️ Support their development with targeted touch
🌸 Build your confidence as a new parent
💬 Connect with other local mums in a calm, supportive space
Small groups, high-quality refreshments, free parking, and a clinically-based environment — everything you need to just exhale and enjoy this precious stage.

📍 Maple Tree Clinic Studio, Northampton
📅 Starts Weds 5th November at 1pm
🎁 Gift vouchers available

✨ Spaces are limited — secure your place now and look forward to something truly special each week.
Book now via the link below or in the bio:
https://bookwhen.com/huddleandbliss/e/ev-skdn-20251105130000