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A calmer baby!  

A calmer baby!   1 2

[prev] …are toddlers we start to help them become more independent. When they are younger they are obviously hugely dependent, but independence comes from complete dependence. We respect this and don’t want to push them. They have to be ready to take that step on their own. Parents are encouraged to stand back, give them space, take a pause and allow their child to develop their skills in the water, whether it be swimming back to the surface or climbing out safely. And once they can swim it’s about developing their swimming skills further and helping them to be safe around the pool.

IT’S INTERESTING THAT YOU SAY INDEPENDENCE COMES OUT OF COMPLETE DEPENDENCE. THERE’S AN ARGUMENT TO BE MADE THAT IF CHILDREN HAVE GOT THE SECURITY AND PEACE OF MIND THAT COMES FROM A SUPPORTIVE PARENT, THEY’LL BE MORE INCLINED TO TRY THINGS FOR THEMSELVES.
Absolutely. From our experience, when there’s a secure base and a proper bond between the child and parent or caregiver, the child will venture further because it knows that secure base will be there to come back to. Forcing behaviours sometimes creates an unsurety or clinginess. We take an approach of solid, gentle nurturing and encouragement, so the child is free to explore what’s comfortable for them.

I IMAGINE A LOT OF YOUR BABY MASSAGE CLASSES MUST HELP TO BUILD A STRONG CONNECTION BETWEEN PARENT AND BABY AND WITH IT THAT SENSE OF SECURITY.
Everything we do comes from a starting point of bonding. Baby massage is fantastic for this. In fact, the easiest way to look at baby massage is that there are no nonbenefits! You can’t over-massage a baby. The only people to massage babies in our classes are the parents, which helps to develop those vital bonds.

ONE OF YOUR COURSES IS BABY AND DADDY MASSAGE. SOME FATHERS CAN FEEL LIKE THE SECOND PARENT, PARTICULARLY IN THE EARLY MONTHS. THIS IS A LOVELY WAY TO KEEP THEM INCLUDED.
There’s an unfair stereotype that dads are not as capable as mums. Sometimes mums interfere with the way dads do things too, you see it a lot. We encourage mum to let dad just get on with it – he’s more than capable! Just because he does it differently, doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Babies are very clever and will understand that the way dad handles them is different to the way mum touches them. This is good for them. Dads are very reassuring and are fantastic at massage because they generally have big, strong hands and they’re very firm, which babies love.

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READERS MAY BE INTRIGUED BY THE FACT YOU OFFER BABY YOGA. IS THIS ESSENTIALLY A MICRO SCALE OF ADULT YOGA?
It is, though we don’t just twist babies into positions and hold them there! Baby yoga is normally done to songs and is a flow of positions. If we were to do a leg routine, for example, we’d first give baby a dry massage over the clothing. The baby would then be taken to the various yoga positions by moving them in and out, rather than just holding them still. What we’re looking for is a constant movement. Babies are spending more and more time in sedentary positions; think car seats, prams and so on. What we want to promote through our yoga programme – baby yoga and mother and baby yoga in particular – is that babies need movement. Carrying your baby in a sling is fantastic for that because the baby experiences exactly the same movements you do, which helps to integrate the vestibular system and the balance system in the ear. All these things lead to quicker development so they can become more capable earlier on. Like swimming, yoga isn’t just for the babies. Our postnatal yoga classes are really popular. We see a lot of mums who need this time and space just to breathe correctly after they’ve had their baby and to help repair the stomach and pelvic floor muscles.

WHAT OTHER BENEFITS DOES YOGA BRING FOR NEW MOTHERS?
So many women end up with hip, back, pelvic or bladder problems after giving birth. Postnatal yoga is great for healing and repairing this. It’s about making mum strong again, in the stomach and the pelvic floor. We use the birthlight method which is gentle yet very effective; a lot of postnatal exercise classes work at strengthening the mother from the outside whereas we start from the inside out first. It’s done really gently starting with a lot of breathing control and gradually builds up from there. Mums bring their babies with them and at the end there’s plenty of relaxation time.

THE TEAROOM MUST ALSO HELP PARENT AND CHILD TO RELAX.
Our tearoom, called Selina’s Tea Room, is an integral part of Calmababy. It provides the valuable time for parents to relax while their children run around and play with other children. The play area has just been refurbished, with a grass-style floor and padded walls. And we have a new general manager in professional chef and TV host Danny Boome, who has redesigned the menu to concentrate on its nutritional value. You wouldn’t feed your children rubbish at home and you won’t have to here. It’s not all healthy of course – we serve the most amazing cake! But everything’s fresh and has real balance.

YOUR GENERAL APPROACH SOUNDS VERY CONSIDERED – NOTHING RUSHED, PLENTY OF TIME TO RELAX AND TAKE STOCK.
Today’s babies and children are constantly over-stimulated. Our aim is to provide an antidote to parent and child stress. We want to let growth and development blossom naturally, at the child’s pace.

Calmababy
8 Botolph Bridge Estate, Oundle Road, Peterborough PE2 9QP. 01733 707808, www.calmababy.com

A calmer baby!   1 2

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