The Baby Cloud Guest Blog:
Here are The Baby Cloud we are so happy to bring you our next instalment of The Baby Cloud Blog.
In this blog we are excited to introduce you to Hannah Slater, Hannah is a registered Paediatric nurse, and Specialist Health Visitor for Perinatal and Infant Mental Health, As well as being a mum herself to 3 little ones – the newest arrived in May 2024!. Hannah is also a previous Baby Cloud parent, attending classes for almost a year!
Here Hannah shares some expert advice on baby brain development and bonding but from a parent and professional point of view – both pre and post-natal! “
Hannah Slater – Registered Paediatric Nurse, & Specialist Health Visitor for Perinatal & Infant Mental Health
Hello, my name is Hannah, and I am a registered Paediatric nurse, and Specialist Health Visitor for Perinatal and Infant Mental Health. I am also a mum to 2 (nearly 3) youngsters and have been fortunate enough to attend the wonderful baby cloud sessions.
The experiences and interactions a baby receives in the antenatal and postnatal period lay the foundations for the rest of the infants life. It is absolutely fascinating how as parents we can develop our babies’ brains and help them to reach their full potential.
The experiences an unborn infant has in the womb significantly influences the growth and brain development of the child. Talking and singing to your baby bump, visualising what your baby may look like and taking time out of your day to feel connected with your unborn baby are just some of the ways you can help to grow your babies’ brain.
Being a busy working parent myself, I know how difficult it is to take time out, but it is so important to look after yourself and feel connected to your unborn baby. Even if for a short time in the evening when you feel rested, take a bath, read a book and pop your hands on your tummy to feel connected to your baby. Your Health Visitor will also be able to give you tips on more ideas to help you bond with your baby.
Babies’ brains are not mature at birth, and we know through epigenetics that genes are not set in stone- brain development is influenced by both nature and nurture. This means as parents we can have such a huge positive influence on the physical, emotional and social development of our children. Between conception and age three, a child’s brain undergoes an impressive amount of change. It doubles in size in the first year, and by the age of three it has reached 80 percent of its adult volume.
At birth, a baby knows their parents voice and may be able to recognise the sounds of stories the parent has read to them whilst they were still in the womb. By 1-month-old, babies start to know familiar sounds and may show it by turning their head. By 3 months old, your baby may respond to these sounds with excitement. By talking to your baby and smiling at them from birth, you can encourage their socialisation skills. Smiling is a major milestone for babies.
As parents the interactions we have with our babies lay the foundations of your babies’ development.
Here are a few activities you can do with your baby to help them grow and reach their full potential-
Talking to your baby - react to your babies’ coos and sounds. Read to them, reading to a baby will help to build the roots for their speech development.
Hold your baby close - having lots of skin to skin contact with your baby will promote bonding and attachment, and help your baby to feel loved, safe and secure. Baby cuddles are just the best!
React when baby cries - you can never give your baby too many cuddles. Crying for babies usually peaks at around 6 weeks postnatal. You cannot spoil a baby by cuddling them too much, crying is your newborns only form of communication.
The Baby Cloud - I was so fortunate to attend The Baby Cloud sessions with my babies. The classes are a fabulous way of spending time with your baby and Sarah is so very welcoming and kind. Sarah thinks about every activity within the sessions and how they can promote each and every one of your babies senses.
It is important in the early few weeks and months to also look after your own emotional health and well-being. It is not easy looking after a newborn and it is a huge life adjustment. Please be kind to yourself and make some time for you.
Here are some tips for looking after yourself-
Sleep, sleep and more sleep! When I was a first-time mum, all I could think about and talk about was sleep! Rest when the baby sleeps if you can and try to get as much sleep as possible.
Help, don’t be afraid or feel guilty to ask for and take help from others. Family will love to come over and cuddle the baby for a few hours to give you a break. Any help with cooking, making tea etc will take the pressure off of you, so please don’t be afraid to accept it.
Socialising - getting out of the house and meeting other parents can be a great way of sharing parenting tips and getting each other through those challenging firsts. Attending baby cloud sessions are a fabulous way of meeting other parents.
Exercise - being outdoors and being at one with nature is proven to release those feel-good hormones. Going out for a walk with your baby is a great way of getting some light exercise.
As Health Visitors we are all either nurses or midwives who have then gone onto to do our Health Visitor training, giving us more knowledge and experience in child health and development. Health Visitors are there to support the health and development of yourself and baby. Please do reach out to your Health Visitor for advice and support. All new parents will receive a new birth contact and a 6-week contact, where we will be able to discuss and promote the positive development of your child.
Thank you for taking time to read my blog. And remember being a parent is not easy, so please do reach out for support if you need to. As parents we are all doing our best to support the positive development of our children : )
Thank you to Hannah for your Baby Cloud blog, so many amazing & fascinating insights into baby’s brain development & how to start bonding with your little ones from bump and beyond. As well as offering those all important tips on how to look after our own wellbeing. As we say at The Baby Cloud – Self Care Isn’t Selfish!!
Watch this space for more guest speakers in the coming months.
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