Birth Baby Balance

27/10/2025

We've been contacted by Oxford Brookes University, who need some pregnant volunteers to help with their midwifery training. If you fit the bill and would like to get involved, please contact Sarah Fleming directly to arrange it.

23/10/2025

I was honoured to recently attend a speedy and exciting homebirth, where the baby decided they did not want to be induced, so came in a very short space of time just a few hours before the scheduled induction! Babies are clever like that.

This week I caught up with the baby’s parents to debrief, and they gave me so many beautiful gifts, I was quite overwhelmed. I absolutely love both the bags - the big one is easy to read, the little one says:
I have all the energy I need to do my work
I quiet my mind as I quiet the birthing space
I am flexible and adaptable to any situation
My hands are strong and capable
I am compassionate
I am skilled
I am intuitive
I am full of love and knowledge
I face difficult situations with courage and empathy
I am a Doula.

Thank you to this wonderful family for inviting me to share their journey as they welcome their baby into the world. It has been an absolute joy and a privilege ❤️❤️

22/10/2025

Edit:
Our sign up form is now closed.

Thank you so much to everyone who contacted us to share their experiences with the investigation team.

OMNVP

You may have heard that OUH maternity services are being looked into by the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation Team.

A big part of the teams visit is listening to real stories from families who’ve received maternity or neonatal care here in Oxfordshire over the last 10 years.

They’re coming in November and would love to hear your experience, whether it was positive, difficult, or a mix of both.

Every story matters.

If you’d like to take part, you’ll join a small group of families sharing their experiences in a safe and supported space.

The investigation team will reimburse travel and childcare expenses (if needed) as well as offer a gift card to thank you for taking part. There is also access to independent emotional support before, during, and after the session, so you feel fully supported.

If this sounds like something you’d like to be part of, DM us. Spaces are limited, so reach out soon.

Your voice matters. Your experience matters.
OMNVP

21/10/2025

So sad- something needs to be done. Well Amy Brown and others.

Parents face 'unjustifiably high' costs to feed their babies because the Government has failed to crack down on profiteering by formula companies, medical experts warned today.

14/10/2025

Calling all little pumpkins 🎃, ghosties 👻 and creepy-crawlies 🐞!

Friday 31st is our Halloween party at Baby Group! Come and join the fun at the Part and Parcel from 10.30-12.00 with your under-one.

A lovely way to get to meet other local new mums and babies, in a safe, welcoming and relaxed space (not a toddler or wheeled toy in sight!).

No booking required - simply turn up at any time. Just £3 per family (please bring cash).

09/10/2025

If you’re expecting a baby between late December and late Feb, we have 2 antenatal courses, our Empowered Birth course, and our Comprehensive Antenatal course, coming up which are perfect for you. Both last 6 weeks, both take place in Witney, both are a fabulous way to meet other parents due around the same time as you, both will leave you feeling prepared, knowledgeable and confident about giving birth, however, whenever and wherever it happens. One course is on a Wednesday evening, and the other on a Thursday evening. Find out more about each of them, and book your place, here: https://www.birthbabybalance.co.uk/antenatal-courses

Each course is run by Sarah, an antenatal teacher and doula with over 20 years experience. Sarah has taught over 1500 couples, and has attended over 120 births in Oxfordshire, so has a deep, in depth knowledge of our local maternity services, and of what you need to consider when preparing for your labour and birth. The courses are upbeat, information-driven, and focussed on what you want to know.

Come and get informed and prepared for the arrival of your little one, and create a support network for once they are here. It could just be the best thing you do!

07/10/2025

Getting out of the house with a new baby can be a far more challenging activity than you're expecting, can't it?! Just as you're about to leave the house there's a poonami, or they suddenly need feeding again, or throw up all over you, and then you're late for whatever you were trying to get to.

Our Baby Group on Friday mornings in Witney is a brilliant first group to attend, as it doesn't matter what time you show up. The group runs from 10.30-12.00 at The Part and Parcel pub, and you can arrive any time you like - there's no such thing as being late to this group.

Come and meet other new mums with under-ones - there are no toddlers at this group, so it is a very safe space to bring your tiny baby to (no wheeled toys being trundled about or snotty noses getting close to your baby!).

No need to book - just turn up. We are open every Friday morning, and you will always be made to feel welcome.

Find out more here: https://www.birthbabybalance.co.uk/baby-group

See you on Friday!

06/10/2025

Would you know what to do if your baby or child was choking, or required CPR? What about a head injury? Or a burn or scald?

Knowing what to do in an emergency could be life saving, or it could just make a frightening situation a bit less scary.

Our next Infant and Family First Aid courses are being held in Witney on Saturday 18th October (only one space left!), Tuesday 18th November and Saturday 13th December.

The two hour hands-on workshop is facilitated by a paramedic assistant, and covers all the main incidents you might encounter as parents or carers.

Find out more and grab your place here: https://www.birthbabybalance.co.uk/first-aid-courses

03/10/2025

Autumn may have arrived 🍁🍂, but it's still good to get outside with your baby. The benefits of fresh air and exercise are well known for improving both mental and physical health in mums, and in helping babies sleep better.

Come and join us each Tuesday at 1.00 for our Walking and Talking group. We meet in or somewhere near Witney (e.g. Ducklington, Charlbury, Aston, Shipton-under-Wychwood, Long Hanborough, Blenheim) and go for a gentle 45ish minute stroll, followed, where possible, by a stop at a coffee shop for a little treat 🫖🍰😋

We announce the location of the walk the weekend just before it, once we can see what the weather is looking like! To get a notification of where we're walking, you just need to join our dedicated WhatsApp group.

Partners, siblings, grandparents, and four-legged friends 🐶 are all welcome too.

Pre-booking onto each walk is essential, so we know who to wait for each week. Ideally we like to get bookings in by 6pm the night before the walk, so we know we have reached our minimum number - after that, bookings can stay open until the morning of the walk. You are welcome (and encouraged!) to make this a regular weekly activity in your diary, and so it is easy to book multiple dates at once - you can just choose the ones that work for you.

Find out more, join the WhatsApp group, and book your place on a walk, here: https://www.birthbabybalance.co.uk/walking-and-talking-groups

See you on Tuesday!

30/09/2025

We have a few spaces remaining on our next baby massage course, which starts on Thursday 30th October and runs for 6 weeks in Witney.

Baby massage is a lovely thing to do with your baby, as it
🥰enhances bonding
😴 improves sleep and relaxation
😢can reduce crying and abdominal pain
😊 works on all the major systems in a baby's body - digestive, circulatory, immune, language, respiratory etc.

It is also a lot of fun, and gives you a chance to meet a group of new mums with babies of a similar age 👶🏼.

The ideal time to start learning to massage your baby is when they are between 8 and 16 weeks old. The benefit of learning when babies are a little less mobile is that they get used to the massage and realise how lovely it is, and then lie still for it even when they are good at rolling/crawling, as they know what it is and look forward to it 😍.

Find out more and book your place here: www.birthbabybalance.co.uk/baby-massage.

This will be our final course for 2025, so don't miss your chance to enjoy this wonderful activity with your baby.

27/09/2025

Fantastic advice from First For Safety Oxfordshire Ltd - Family First Aid
Keep your baby safe and follow The Lullaby Trust guidance on sleeping bags and other sleep products

Do NOT use!!!!! Baby sleeping bags with hoods, or without arm openings, do NOT meet any UK safety standards! They can cause babies to suffocate, overheat or die.

Yet, a new Which investigation found many dangerous baby sleeping bags, similar or identical to products that have been officially recalled for suffocation risks, for sale online.

Shop safely - Sleep bags should fit well at the neck & arms so baby can’t wriggle safely without it riding up.

Do NOT use any sleep bags with hoods or head coverings. More info below. Please share. xx
https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/dangerous-baby-sleeping-bags-found-for-sale-on-online-marketplaces-ae9G97A20pxd