Book group

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I love reading. I love the escape, the imagination and I love the learning and exploration that can be gleaned from the pages of a book. And I love that it is for me. Of course, how to fit in any 'me' time is always a juggle. Most nights by the time I climb into bed I am barely past the first paragraph before my eyelids grow heavy and I have to admit defeat and go to sleep. But one of the things I enjoy most about reading is being able to talk about the book that I have just read. Whether it is fiction, fact, self-help or educational there is always something to be learnt from trying to express … [Read more...]

Dating your child

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The first step is to plan. A date does not happen by accident - set aside a time and schedule it on the calendar. The calendar also serves as a tangible reminder to the children that they are so important that their parents schedule time to be with them. Once the date has been scheduled and committed to, do not break it! Choose the location of your date carefully. A date needs to be in a setting where a parent and child can talk. For some it may be a walk in the park. Others may want to fish together. The best setting is a restaurant. Starting conversation. Ask questions that require more than … [Read more...]

The challenge of motherhood today

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It seems that being a mother in the current societal climate is a mixed bag. Many mothers find that maintaining an identity and a network of support, while they are nurturing their young children, is one of the hardest challenges they have faced. Some women who have had busy careers find the idea of being at home with a child a daunting one. To be a mother takes a lot of resourcefulness. Orchestrating your day to balance your children's needs for nurture, stimulation and physical care, with your own needs for friendship, creativity and growth, requires considerable skill. We endeavor to give … [Read more...]

Healing birth, healing the earth

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Birth, she is dying. This primal and unspeakably powerful initiation, the only road to motherhood for our ancestors, has been stripped of her dignity and purpose in our times. Birth has become a dangerous medical disease to be treated with escalating levels, and types, of technological interventions. What is worse perhaps is that the ecstasy of Birth- her capacity to take us outside (ec) our usual state (stasis)- has been forgotten, and we are entering the sacred domain of motherhood post-operatively, even post-traumatically, rather than transformationally. These deviations from … [Read more...]

Your guide to labour and childbirth

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Labour and Birth Every birth is different and babies vary regarding when they arrive and how long they take. Your Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) can answer any questions you might have about your labour and birth and how you should prepare. When you think you are in labour, tell your LMC. S/he will then advise you what to do next. This may be that s/he will visit and assess you in your home, or meet you at the maternity hospital, or s/he may make some other suggestion(s). Deciding who will support you at the birth Plan ahead about who you would like to support you at your baby’s … [Read more...]