Solihull Doula Melanie

08/09/2025

✨New or expecting parent?✨

Join our Walk & Talk 🚶‍♀ at Sheldon Country Park followed by a free stay and play inside the community space

Let us know to wait for you:
https://sheldonwellbeingwalk.eventbrite.co.uk

📍Meet at the farm entrance on Ragley Drive, B26 3TU
🚙 Free carpark
🚌 the 60 & 70 buses both pass near the park
🚶‍♀ Route: A gentle stroll around Sheldon Country Park
💬 Why Join? Chat about life, parenting, and everything in between!

🙋🏻‍♀ Look for Corinne in her high-vis vest 🦺

Let us know to wait for you:
https://sheldonwellbeingwalk.eventbrite.co.uk

05/09/2025

Did something a little different today - I was interviewed by lovely Zoe assessment service about my recent ADHD diagnosis. I love talking about neurodivergence, but I was a little out of my comfort zone being filmed! However, made me feel at ease. I’m not sure I’ll watch the interview back, but it is great to know that my journey might help someone else decide that seeking a diagnosis and support is right for them too.
I’m still learning but more than happy to talk about and how it impacts and benefits the work I do as a Doula, and how i use it to support the work that I do with women and families.

04/09/2025

The Solihull Infant Feeding Team are running a number of weekly support groups to help with all your infant feeding queries🤰🍼

The sessions will be running at Hatchford Brook and Riverside Family Hub! 🏠

🗓️Mondays at Hatchford Brook, Wednesdays at Riverside
🕥 10:30-12:00 at Hatchford Brook, 12:00-13:30 at Riverside
📌Hatchford Brook Family Hub, Elmdon, Old Lode Lane, B92 8JE and Riverside Family Hub, 289 Bosworth Drive, Chelmsley Wood, Solihull, B37 5DP
💵FREE

Book your place on http://linktr.ee/Solihull.IFT or simply drop-in! 💗

02/09/2025

Join us as we open our brand new, family centred community space!

It's a chance to get to know us, what we do and learn more about volunteering/training opportunities. Plus, this is a space for YOU - so join in with shaping what it will be.

You can also:
🩷Make a badge
🩷Create footprint keepsakes
🩷Meet other families
🩷Browse our maternity clothes bank
🩷Have some cake

We also have some baby/parenting related things for sale, including books, slings/carriers, cloth nappies and accessories.

Find us at Unit 5, The Cornbow Centre, Halesowen, B63 4AJ.

https://NBNopeningday.eventbrite.com

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02/09/2025

01/09/2025

BSOL MNVP will be hosting our third Quarterly meeting with a focus on @bham_womens hospital!

🤝Service Users are welcome from 10am, to share, listen and support change. Equally if you are not ready to share, it may be an opportunity to hear our conversations. Our aim is to improve experiences within Maternity and Neonatal Services in Birmingham and Solihull and champion good practice. We do this by working in collaboration with Service Users, Community Partners and our NHS Trusts.

📣For our Community Partners or any other third party organisations, please do share this post within your own networks, as all voices are important for representation.

💌If you would like to attend and have not already received an invite, please email bsolmnvp@gatewayfs.org to RSVP. Please see location address in the post above.

🥐Refreshments and a safe space will be provided.

31/08/2025

I'm back at the wonderful Coffee Shop this week!

4th September
10.30-12

Please arrive by 11.30 at the latest (drop in any time before that) and I'll chat with you in order of arrival, sometimes grouping together or doing demonstrations to everyone.

What is a sling library?
Thinking about carrying your newborn/baby/toddler/preschooler? Want to try out a specific sling? Need some help with a carrier you already have? Want to meet other local parents?

Come along and browse our selection of slings suitable for newborns right up to toddlers, or get help with something you just can't quite get the hang of.

All welcome including partners, expectant parents and family. If your baby is under 6 weeks, you can borrow a stretchy wrap for a month for FREE.

You can then also borrow a sling/carrier to road test for a month. Hire costs just £15 for 4 weeks, you can see everything that is available and make a reservation here: https://happyslinglady.myturn.com

To return, just bring it back 7th August same time, same place.

It's no problem if you don't know what you want yet, but you will need to make an account on MyTurn to borrow.

[Image description: a teal background with the heading "Solihull Sling Library, 6th March 10.30-12, Coffee House". There's also my phone number, 07943 954829, my email brianna@happyslinglady.co.uk and my social media handles]

11/07/2025

More info coming 🔜

01/07/2025

Have you heard of a ‘Nesting Party’? It sits somewhere between a more traditional western baby shower, and the more spiritual and nurturing ceremonies from the past, and other cultures - such as the Blessing Way. I’ve just been listening to the podcast where they interview Danielle Liddick from , about her nesting party offerings. We’re not very good as a modern Western culture of looking after our new mothers, or indeed, asking for the sort of meaningful help we need. A nesting party that celebrates both the Mum-to-be and provides some opportunities to put some postpartum support in place in advance, sounds like a very good step in the right direction. What do you think? What helped, or would have helped you to get some postpartum support in place?

10/06/2025

Today is my 45th birthday. I’ve spent the day so far with my lovely boys, taking a river swim on Warwick, and treating myself to brunch at Hatton Locks. I feel my privilege hugely today and, since I do have a choice to express my views freely, I’d like to ask if you can spare 2 minutes to sign the 3 petitions listed below as I’m deeply concerned about what’s happening in Gaza.

Displacement and civilian deaths:
Around 90% of Palestinians in Gaza, have been forced from their homes. Since October 2023, over 54,600 Palestinians have been killed, most of them women and children, not military personnel.

Lack of aid being allowed in:
The health system is collapsing: less than half the hospitals are even partly functional, and there are acute shortages of essential supplies in all hospitals, whilst 50 WHO trucks are stuck at Al-Arish and in the West Bank, unable to reach those in need.
Aid generally is barely getting in—for more than 50 days, no humanitarian aid entered Gaza at all. Now, only a trickle of aid is allowed in.

Illegal actions and concern - a view supported by all humanitarian agencies:
This level of suffering and displacement is devastating and goes against international law. Every life—Palestinian and Israeli—matters and deserves dignity. Please join me in speaking out and calling for justice and humanity for everyone affected by this crisis. Here are three petitions that you could consider signing:

Oxfams campaign to stop arming Israel
https://www.oxfam.org.uk/get-involved/campaign-with-oxfam/end-uk-arms-sales-to-israel/

Parliamentary petition to help facilitate legal aid into Gaza
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/700682

My voice, my choice campaign to end EU trade agreements with Israel
https://share.myvoice-mychoice.org/s/gg4mLpOu

29/05/2025

Learn some invaluable skills AND help a good cause.

Want to attend a first aid course but finding it difficult to get out of the house?

We've got you! Book here: https://bookwhen.com/newbabynetwork

Join Lorraine from award winning Mini First Aid Birmingham for a friendly, relaxed 2 hour online class.

The Baby & Child First Aid class covers
🚑Baby & Child CPR
🍇Choking
🩸Bleeding
🔥Burns
🌡️Febrile seizures
🤕Head injuries
🚨Meningitis & Sepsis awareness

Just £40 for 2 people attending on the same device, or £22.50 for 1 person - you learn some valuable skills AND support New Baby Network to sustain our free services.

If you are experiencing financial hardship, please get in touch.

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30/04/2025

Still in Solihull, still offering and postnatal support but I am in the midst of house! It’s all boxes and flat packs at the moment, but I hope to have a dedicated space in our new home for massage, , and classes.