Eight Weeks Old.

Now that life with a family of four is a little more settled and predictable, I can begin documenting Isla's babyhood. I have already watched her grow and develop at the speed of light...I know if I blink for too long it will be a distant memory. Stay young sweet girl?

Eight weeks old and eight weeks young. It is the most incredible thing watching your leaps in development and then seeing them reflected in your cries and sleep, it totally intrigues me. Around three weeks ago we watched as your perception widened, you were no longer just looking at us...you were really seeing us. Now, your tiny face lights up when you see a familiar one. Your eyes widen, your mouth opens and your arms and legs kick and squirm. When you get get really excited a soft 'Gah' escapes your mouth.

Your personality has started to shine, your remind me so very much of your Daddy. You are extra sensitive to a change in temperature and aren't afraid to let us know how much you dislike getting un-dressed. Unlike your older sister, who loved to have her limbs free to wriggle about, you adore being swaddled tightly and held. Lately when I have been cradling you to settle, you have been burying your face into my chest. You rub your little face backwards and forwards until you find a comfy spot with your nose and eyes tucked in safely. It is your most adorable habit by far.

A routine is still not something you are overly excited about. I can't predict your daytime naps (If you are to have any at all), which isn't always a bad thing, I love indulging in your snuggles. Sometimes when I hear your Dads car come home from work, I rush to put you down in the bassinet as you've dozed off mid feed and rather than put you down I soak up your sleepy goodness while I can. He worries that we may develop bad settling habits if I let you linger in my arms too long, but what's a mother-daughter relationship without a few secrets hey?






I daydream of the day you are big enough to play with your sister and giggle alongside her. She is so excited by your presence and loves to 'share' all her toys with you. She showers you with kisses and cuddles. Last week in a brief moment of inattention, I returned my gaze to find her putting bracelets on your arms and pegs on your sleeves!

The last eight weeks have been challenging but beautiful. I look forward to us getting to know each other more and more and figuring out 'our ways'. Figuring out your favourite ways to lay, settle, play and sleep are all part of the fun of navigating these newborn days. There isn't a doubt in my mind that my heart has doubled in size since your arrival, there is a special space in there...just for you my little Isla Willow.

There's nothing more enjoyable than freezing memories with words and pictures. What special ways did you document your children's lives?
Plenty of love, 

P.S. These photographs are by the talented Tanya from TK's photography, taken at just 12 days old.

Fathers Day

To the two most wonderful men in my life. You both share such similar characteristics; you are humble, talented, modest, genuine, hard-working and loving.

To my Dad, who raised two little girls single handedly for the most part; Thankyou. My memories are filled with sharing football festivities, DIY adventures in the shed, learning about astronomy and you teaching me to draw.

To my partner, I am grateful. Grateful for all that you do for our family, grateful that you have taken Stella on as if she were your own and grateful that you love our girls unconditionally. You give them all they could ever hope for.

To the two most wonderful men in my life; Happy Fathers Day.

 

Good riddance Saturday.

Today, I am grateful for the past tense...for yesterday was the worst. I can't tell you how happy I am to see the back of you Saturday.

The first day of spring was a beautifully sunny one and we spent it in the Accident and Emergency waiting rooms of the Hospital. Isla has had a little cough here and there for the past week, but over the 24 hours before this Saturday it had increased in intensity and frequency. During her 2am feed I curiously jumped on the Whooping Cough website...ten minutes later I was waking Nick up in hysterics. I'd read an example case story; an otherwise very healthy newborn developed a small cough, which started to get slightly worse but not terrible. She tested positive to Whooping Cough and was hospitalised and put on a ventilator. She then developed pneumonia and within days her condition deteriorated. She died at 32 days old.

There was no chance that I was letting that happen to our new baby. We headed off the the hospital first thing that morning when Stella woke to get her checked and to rule out this horrible infection. Although I knew and was hoping that it most likely wouldn't be Whooping Cough, I couldn't live with myself for taking the risk...no matter how many frowns I received for 'over-reacting', over-react I still would. When it comes to the health and safety of your babies, you don't hesitate. It turns out that Islas cough is most likely a mild viral infection, and we were to keep an eye on it and return to the doctors for anti-biotics if it continued.

Stress gone and sunny Saturday enjoyed, right? Wrong.

When we returned home, I cooked a special breakfast for Nick to celebrate it being Fathers Day weekend and we then piled the babes and pram into the car and headed out for a walk; determined not to waste this beautiful day. Seeing the sunshine beam off the girls' hair and the smile on Stellas face was heartwarming, it had me dreaming of the warmer months to come and the adventures we could get up to. Winter in Tasmania with a toddler has been very long indeed!



We decided to end our walk with Stellas favourite, in fact...she suggested it! A 'chino' in the city. Rather than take the pram and face a cramped coffee shop, we opted for the food hall. Looking back through my phone I have a dozen or so pictures of Stella enjoying her frothed milk and turning her nose up at my sushi, it makes me feel sick knowing that these photos were taken only a few seconds before it happened.

As a parent, I like to think that I am always alert and switched on. I am always watching for potential accidents and preventing tantrums, tears and broken toys. I have relaxed a little as my first born has grown and am less partial to the odd spilt milk and broken plate. Sometimes I think you get comfortable and forget how quickly things can happen.

Within what felt like a split second, Nick was holding a screaming Stella with blood gushing over his hands and I was frantically searching for serviettes with Isla rested on my forearm. I didn't even see it coming. She had stood up on her chair on the open side of our booth table and within seconds the chair was behind her and she was on the ground. No one wants to see blood pouring down their child's neck, no matter how old.

She had hit her face hard on the edge of the table on the way down before falling flat on her stomach on the floor, the underneath of her little chin had split open quite deeply. I can't remember leaving or getting to the car...but I remember one thing quite clearly; I remember no-one moving. One lady looked a little concerned and handed us a bundle of serviettes, but not one person got up from their seats to offer us assistance. I was juggling Isla who had started to cry and Nick was applying pressure to Stellas neck, who was still screaming ear piercingly.

We raced the 4 minute drive to the hospital. Here we were again. We waited for 3 hours before they sedated her with Ketamine and put four little stitches under her chin. Lucky the cut was in the spot it was and that she hadn't hit slightly higher, otherwise we would have a broken jaw to contend with. The poor babe was so distressed by all the blood and kept asking for a shower. It was a horrible, emotionally draining day!



I learnt three things that day that I certainly had not set out to discover;

1. Seeing your child unwell or in pain is absolutely traumatising, but an instinctive 'calm' comes from within to protect and comfort them. None of the fear and distress you feel is expressed for your child to see.

2. Society sucks. What inhibits people from getting up to help, offering assistance or even acknowledging others around them needs to be addressed. We have a duty of care for those around us, whether they are strangers or not. Look out for those in need.

3. You can never be too alert. See the potential accident in every situation, but rather than obsess over it, take swift action to eliminate the danger. It's worth the tantrums!

I am repeating a little mantra that gives me a lift when I need it...'No two days are the same'. There will never be another day exactly the same as yesterday, and thank goodness! Good riddance Saturday.



Right now? I am investing in a bulk pack of bubble wrap and cotton wool. If you have children under 21, I highly recommend you do the same!
Plenty of love, 

Hanging up the boots...

I sat down to write today; to creatively announce to the blogosphere and break the news to my readers that I was planning to 'hang up the boots'. I was going to write my last post and it was going to be about throwing in the towel.

Sadly, this was going to be it.

Blogging is something that has bought me immeasurable happiness over the past 18 months. It created an outlet for my ever accumulating thoughts and ideas and gave me something to strive for amongst the sometimes mundane lifestyle of a stay at home mother. I felt a sense of achievement when hitting publish on a post I had been working on for the night, more so it gave me a feeling of satisfaction, pride and excitement when my posts reached a wider audience. Maybe something I'd written had resonated with a mother...Heck, maybe it had even made a tired mother laugh, made a frustrated mother nod, or encouraged and inspired a mother in sadness. Developing this comfy space for mothers to visit was truly my passion.. You can read my post on why I blog here

About three months ago, I felt that I had reached a tiny milestone here on Winter Love. I began to offer sponsorship for the very first time, which not only opened up a new audience and paid some of my monthly credit card bill but it bought to me new faces and friendships. I wrote or planned nearly every day...I guess you could say I was high on blogging life!

Funnily, I just assumed this level of commitment would continue after little Isla came into the world. I was a super mama wasn't I? Wasn't I?! It wasn't long before the reality of parenting a newborn came and kindly shocked me. I have four humans to look after daily; A newborn to feed and settle 24 hours around the clock, a toddler to entertain, a partner to engage and connect with and, myself to keep alive and relatively healthy and happy. Oh and don't forget the household duties, friendships and sleep (What sleep!). In this crazy mayhem of motherhood my little blog had no space.

I attempted to put some dedication back into my favourite hobby numerous times, but felt disheartened and frustrated when after writing barely a sentence I was having to drop my train of thought in favor of a nappy or dummy.

Until today... Today something felt different.

I had been guiltily reflecting on my lack of writing and promised to write a short and sweet post letting my readers know that Winter Love was no longer. I opened my laptop and tapped out the words "Hanging up the boots..." When I stopped. I realised what had just happened. For one, I had the time to open the laptop, and two I had the motivation to mentally draft a post. That's when I realised; I couldn't let myself give up. And more importantly, I didn't have to give up.

I am a huge fan of the cute little saying 'where there is a will there is a way'. And today I had the will, and I am determined to find a way!

So, here's to hoping that my time management and multi tasking skills continue to improve and that the faint memory of routine begins to shine through in this busy families lives once more. Then, this comfy little space can be kept tidy and inviting for mothers to visit and love once again.

Are you still with me? I sure hope so!

Plenty of love,

A long overdue return...

Well, here I am. Vegetable soup bubbling on the stove, wind blowing in the leaves outside, clothes dryer spinning, day-time TV playing and fingernails tapping on the keys. Oh and a newborn baby laying on my lap! Although I have a totally legitimate excuse, my return to the blogosphere is well overdue. And the absence has been killing me! Each week that passes by I look longingly to my laptop and promise to find the time, but each week time just hasn't been generous... I guess that is to be expected with a busy toddler and a new little bundle.

There is so very much I am itching to write about and my blog 'notes' are currently out of control. I am planning to share with you many things including; our survival of the newborn weeks, the juggling of two children, the multitude of health issues that have frustratingly plagued me recently, post-partum emotions, a new tattoo, new family life and of course a birth story!

Until I squeeze in the time to do so, I thought I should introduce this sweet little being...

This is Isla Willow.




I am bursting to tell you all about this family's past five weeks! Stay patient with me and I promise to return the regular musings very soon.

Plenty of  love,

Guest Post; Pregnancy- By a real girl.

Hi! I am Natalie from Home Bird Economics, I am so pleased and grateful to be contributing to Winter Love whilst Natalie and Nick take some time to enjoy their newest addition. Home Bird Economics is full of my bargain finds, my crafty creations and happenings with my sweet husband.

Around the time Natalie asked me to guest post for her I have to admit I was struggling with being pregnant, I have had problems with hip pain throughout and to be honest I wasn't feeling the 'glowing' or 'blooming' states some would have you believe... nor does that mean it has been as horrific as some pregnancies are said to be, I am grateful for the pregnancy I have had. But I am going to share the truths about pregnancy that I have experienced.


* Some days you will just feel fat. Not pregnant fat, not time of the month fat. Just fat.

* Feeling your baby move will excite you beyond belief and scare you more than you imagined! Embrace this mix of emotions because it will be with you throughout your pregnancy.

* Acknowledge and discuss when you feel guilty or unworthy, no-one is perfect all of the time and the sooner you develop your confidence in your desires for your child, the happier I am sure you will be.

* Find something that relaxes you, involve your partner if possible in relaxation techniques as an example so that they can develop a 'tool box' of options to help when you are in labor.

* Accept that people will touch your belly, I hated it. I honestly don't have big personal space issues but there is something very intimate about touching an unborn child that I feel should be invited instead of taken and yet others don't see it that way. I tried to remind myself that I cannot control everything and was saying something worth the awkwardness?

* Some people will think calling you fat or a derogatory name is hilarious. It is not ok to punch them. Most of the time smiling politely or bursting into tears will defuse the situation.

* A cliched one, but think of how many times you plan to be pregnant and how special this opportunity really is. Even through the trials of pregnancy there is nothing like creating and nurturing a life within you.

* Finding someone to confide in when everything seems a little too much will really help you to rationalize your thoughts.

* I really enjoyed keeping a baby book of happenings throughout my pregnancy because it kept me focusing on how much time had passed.

* I also loved creating things for our nursery and even if you aren't creative or into making things, collecting and making a little nest for your newborn will help to get yourself ready.

* Swollen ankles can be painful and worrying, luckily though rest helps to keep them down.

* Get used to feeling uncomfortable, I felt uncomfortable in my skin most days. Just because things are changing and you are constantly adapting to a new twinge or a different sensation.

...Finally, pregnancy is just 9 months and I genuinely believe that the benefit outweighs the struggles...

Natalie
Home Bird Economics

Beauty Mama

Motherhood is rarely glamorous, you may not always get a chance to change from your pyjamas and it is perfectly acceptable to go six days without removing your top-knot. Motherhood is a juggling act, and in that super power struggle to find balance, looking after yourself usually falls last on the list. Gone are the days of regular hair appointments, nail bookings, waxings, facials and tans.

Just because Motherhood and parenting is not glamorous, doesn't mean that you don't deserve the chance to feel glamorous. I believe that a pamper session, no matter how small can do wonders to lift a mamas self esteem and give a well deserved boost of confidence

...And that's where the exciting news come in!


Makeup by Tahnii is giving local Winter Love readers the chance to win a makeover for themselves! Let yourself be pampered by this wonderful young make-up artist and mama of two; let your beauty shine! Included in your makeover prize is a private makeover with Tahnii and a photoshoot to capture your confidence forever.

Entry is as easy as this..."LIKE" Makeup By Tahnii on Facebook and "LIKE" Winter Love on Facebook using the Rafflecopter widget below. You can then gain extra entries by sharing this post via both Twitter and Facebook. Entrants must be local to Tasmania or willing to travel to Launceston if not based in the area.

*Although my main targeted readership are mothers, it is not mandatory to be a parent to enter this giveaway*
a Rafflecopter giveaway

I am so excited by this giveaway and cannot wait to see some beauty bloom. Every woman deserves to shine! Enter away ladies!
Plenty of Love, 

Guest Post; Milk Eyes - Cool Parents Unite!

Hello there, lovely to meet you. My name is Sandi Darling: military wife to the unbelievably babe-alicious Lee Savage, mother to a one year old chaos-agent named Hunter, and a Brisbane based blogger. I started Milk Eyes as a way of connecting with parents who continue to embrace their unique style, using their alternative point of view and streetwise skills to raise smart, savvy and above all, loved kids. I didn’t have much luck finding this in real life (beyond the few friends I had that had become parents before me ) or online, so Milk Eyes became the method by which I created a space to keep connected with all the cool stuff going on in the world, as well as being a place for me to share my thoughts on the amazing transformations parenthood has brought to my life.



If there is one thing Milk Eyes has opened my eyes to, it is that all over this amazing world there are mums and dads remaining in touch with the subcultures they love, even as so many other aspects of their lives change to accommodate their children. I’ve found so many new cool friends as a result, including the wonderful Natalie who is currently taking some time out to get acquainted with the newest addition to her family. How exciting for her- and for me because I get to use this opportunity to connect with you even as Natalie is connecting with her little one! When Natalie approached me to write a guest piece I asked her what to write about, and she suggested something along the lines of “why your style doesn’t need to change when you become a mother" or "how to stay 'cool' ". This is a good question, and I’m not entirely confident I’m qualified to answer it, but I can try.

Whatever your style, once you have a baby you have less time and money to spend on yourself. You may feel a little weird in your skin for a while, post pregnancy. You might also feel a little out of touch with the lifestyle you led pre-bub. Doubts start to lurk in your mind, unhelpful thoughts about what other people will think of you: If you dress the same as you did before strangers will think you are a reckless bohemian, irresponsible or worse: a selfish individual who focuses on their own wants above the needs of their kids; if you 'normalise' your fashion sense your friends will think all the hype about ‘babies cramping your style’ is true and exclude you, or push the idea of having babies of their own even further down their ‘to do’ list.

Being dictated to by your ideas about every ones else's expectations is an unenviable position, but the worst part about being trapped in the throws of that emotional turmoil is that you honestly don't know what other people are thinking- unless they outright tell you, it's all in your head. I once heard someone say you wouldn't be so concerned with what other people think about you if you realized how very little they actually do. In other words, some of the reasons you have for abandoning the style that previously rocked your world are phantoms, imaginary barriers of your own construction that take more mental energy to maintain then they do to abandon. What a delicious, energizing revelation!

But what about when those insecurities are realised? Let me share with you a story.

When my son was a few weeks old I took him with me to the store to buy groceries- as you do. As I walked in to the store a middle aged woman muttered under her breath “They’ll let any freak breed these days”. I looked around, curious to see who she was referring to with such venom and spite, but there was no one else around.

She meant me.

I mean come on, me? I have multiple degrees, I won an academic scholarship to study at one of the state’s best schools, I donate to charity, buy Australian made, train my pets, eat healthily, avoid television, pay taxes, don’t litter- I even polish my shoes! She hadn’t just implied that I was a freak either- she implied that because of how I looked I was also unfit to be a parent. I was shocked. Sure I had pink hair and tattoos- but I wasn’t a bad parent by any stretch of the imagination. This complete stranger looked at what I was wearing and made a judgement call on the kind of person I was.

Suddenly I felt small and stupid. Perhaps she was right, maybe it was time I grew up. I bought brown hair dye and when I got home I packed up all but the most banal items in my wardrobe, crying as I filled garbage bag after garbage bag with clothes that hours before delighted me as I decided on what to wear. To make myself feel better I took some time out to cuddle my infant son. He woke in my arms and looked up at me with eyes full of love and trust. In that moment I realized that Hunter didn't care one speck about what I was wearing so long as he had a full tum, a clean bum and the love of his mum to sustain him. I began to feel foolish- I had let a complete stranger make me feel like a bad parent because of what I looked like. As I rehung my clothes I consoled myself with the knowledge that phantom powered people who judge others based on appearance alone (instead of the calibre of their actions) are small minded and mean spirited- exactly the kind of person I would avoid if given a choice.

Looking back at the experience I would say that it solidified in me the desire to fight for my right to be expressive. I fight by being a conscientious human being and an attentive loving parent. My choice of battle armour is whatever the hell I want to wear. My style doesn’t make me a bad parent- it makes me creative, unique, interesting, exuberant, joyful, expressive, stimulating and different- but none of these things are bad qualities. Being judgemental, small minded, abusive, spreading hatred and fear- these are qualities that would make me a bad parent- nay, human.

For some people staying cool is about maintaining wild hair, clothes and makeup; using the experiences that image brings as an opportunity to teach their kids about judgement, prejudice and acceptance. For others it is a choice to not hide their tattoos or remove their body piercings, proud of the personal significance these things have at a time when every other aspect of their life is shared with or about their children. For others still these matters of style are superficial and easily discarded like the shell of oyster, knowing that the real meat of the issue is deeper inside. This type of parent knows that conspicuous consumption isn’t the only way to stay true to their roots, they keep engaged in the culture they love by other means. Irrespective of their personal style, all of the parents described above are cool because they are keeping their inner child alive and well, even as they foster that same vitality and enthusiasm for life in their own children.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that being a parent and maintaining your cool aren’t two mutually exclusive states of being. Many of the qualities that make someone stand out from the crowd are the very same qualities that would deeply enhance the emotional and social development of their children. Your style doesn't need to change at all once you become a parent- let your light burn brightly, the love you radiate will illuminate everything around you and banish those phantoms to the ever retreating shadows. Shine in the knowledge that you look fine and more importantly you are a very fine parent indeed. Your child will bask in the glow that radiates from you, their little face lighting up at your approach.

Let it shine,
Sandi D.

Guest Post; Day to day with Everyday Mae.

Hi Everyone! My name is Bianca and I blog over at Behind the Scenes of Everyday Mae. I’m so exciting to be guest posting for Natalie while she taking some time off to spend with her lovely new bub! I thought I would share some behind the scenes action of my day to day life with Everyday Mae.



To give a bit of a back story, I began Everyday Mae in early 2011 as a creative outlet while I was studying full time. I had always loved being creative as a child and enjoyed painting, drawing and sewing while I was younger. One day I decided to spend more time on creative projects and around the same time I discovered Etsy. My mind was blown and after a few months of dreaming, planning and lots of sewing I opened up my shop in January.



Currently I am working as a freelance sewer for a designer in Newcastle so that takes up a fair amount of my time! In between that and attempting to have a social life I dedicate my time to Everyday Mae. Most days I can be found designing and sewing bags, ordering supplies and creating new ways to do things on top of blogging, answering emails and generally all other social media. I tend to jump from one project to another and spend a few hours on each and that way I find I don’t lose enthusiasm for a particular project.

My days vary in that sometimes I am more productive in the morning, and some other days I don’t kick off until the afternoon and may work into the night. I love the freedom that I do have to do this and that I can plan my days around how I am feeling at the time. While I am not working I do enjoy drinking lots of tea, taking photos and spending time with family and friends. More often than not I can be found in front of the sewing machine working on improving my quilting skills, sewing décor items and clothing for myself. At the present time I have some new exciting ideas that I am working on and I hope to expand my Everyday Mae line in the near future!




Thanks so much Natalie for having me here today! I do hope you will come and visit my blog or my twitter to say hello!
❤❤❤
Bianca

You can find Everyday Mae here on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Etsy

Guest Post; Harnessing Childrens Creativity

Hi everyone, it’s Naomi here from Look See. While Natalie is spending some quality time with the new bub (congratulations Nat!), she asked if I’d do a guest post about developing creativity in kids. I’m a full-time high school teacher and do photography and graphic design in my spare time. I’ve always been a creative kid myself and love that I get to see children being creative in my day job.

I thought I’d talk about a couple of areas that I believe personally are important in developing children’s creativity. And this has come from my own experience – either as a kid myself or as a teacher.

First of all is the need to model creativity. Kids need to see adults being creative in order to learn how to be creative themselves. My mum loved to take photos of us when we were growing up. We were encouraged to take photos as well and we each had access to a simple, inexpensive camera (and this was in the age before digital cameras).  I recall taking photos together and getting them developed, then spending time together looking at the results.

At school, I have seen so many students become inspired when they have viewed the adults around them attempting creativity. Whether it’s in art, music, woodwork, cooking, writing – whatever the creative mode, show kids that it’s ok to muck in, have a go, make mistakes and learn from them – and that in fact, is pretty much the creative process anyway.

Secondly, I mentioned above about making mistakes. Creativity is a process. It’s very rare that you create something you are immediately satisfied with. And that’s ok. It doesn’t have to be perfect; it doesn’t have to always be a polished piece. Sometimes it’s great to create, just for the sake of creating. It’s a cliché because it’s true – mistakes are how we learn. So, providing support through mistakes definitely assists in developing children’s creativity.



Finally, an environment that is conducive to creativity is so important. I remember growing up that mum had major plans to paint the interior of the house. I remember her talking about it forever – and it didn’t actually happen until I was about twelve. In the meantime, we were allowed to draw and paint and write on our bedroom walls – I guess her thinking was that it was all going to be covered up at some point anyway! Looking back on this, I can’t help but think that mum was a bit mad (in the best way) but I think how lucky we were to be encouraged to be creative as kids.

As a teacher, I recall a particular student who hated the journal writing we did each week in English. He’d try every trick in the book and eventually ask if he could go to the toilet (the first time he did this, he spent 20 minutes in there hoping that he’d miss the journal writing session). He promised me that he would tell the whole class a story when he came back if he didn’t have to write it down. I agreed. He came back and would tell the funniest, most entertaining tales we’d heard – jungles, crocodiles, heroes, you name it. Technically I was supposed to make him write it down, but the way I saw it, I could let him tell the story and encourage his creativity or I could make him write it and stifle it.

And just because I can, here are a couple of links for you with cool creative projects that are probably just as much fun for the grownups as they are for the kids:
~ Paper dots garland by Oh Happy Day {Lots of other great do-it-yourself projects}
~ T-shirt painting by Artsy Ants {Also plenty of other goodies here}



Thanks for reading – here’s to getting paint all over your hands!
Naomi
Look See

Guest Post; Natural Health in Childhood

Hello.  I’m Michelle from Mumma and the Kiddo where I share my ramblings and motherhood adventures. I’d like to start by thanking Natalie for asking me to guest post on her blog while she’s on her baby-moon with her newest wee girl. Congrats! I am here sharing my reasons for choosing natural health for my son, and why I am passionate about natural health in childhood.
 
While I was pregnant I was studying and a lot of my health science papers covered parenting topics, in particular child health and development. I discovered the importance of taking a holistic approach which involves much more than treating a symptom. It’s about considering someone’s whole body and how life situations impact the body. My decision to use natural and alternative health practitioners was based on their approach to health and illness. I love that there are practicing GPs who are using alternative medicine alongside conventional treatments.

I have great respect for the vast intelligence that our body carries in its ability to orchestrate trillions of cells in our body. In each second we make millions of new red blood cells. Our bodies are always balancing and attempting to keep us healthy. I believe that we need to stop and pay attention, to listen to, and befriend our bodies and explore and understand them. This is where I have found alternative and natural health practitioners beneficial to my son’s health. 

During Pete’s birth his head was transverse (sideways). It wasn’t able to be rotated, he came out with a badly bruised head and wasn’t able to turn his neck. The exercises the physiotherapist wanted me to do with Pete made him scream in pain so I decided to take him to an osteopath. After 2 appointments his neck significantly improved.

Pete also used to be a terrible sleeper. I took him to a holistic health and integral health centre and he was given a bach flower remedy and a magnesium supplement. We also did mind/body therapy. After this appointment Pete’s sleeping hasn’t been an issue. I have also used rescue remedies and bach flower remedies when Pete has been frustrated and worked up. They quickly calm him down. I found this really useful last year when my nana passed away.

There are lots of natural alternatives that work just as well, if not better. I trust my gut instincts. I am a firm believer that parents are the experts to their children and no GP, or naturopath or Plunket nurse is going to know your child better than you.

Thankyou for reading! 
Michelle
Mumma and the Kiddo

July Feature Sponsor { A Lot Like Love }

A Lot Like Love is the sweet musings of a pretty girl called Eloise. When she isn't busy being a Dental Assistant and studying education, Eloise is blogging about the beautiful things surrounding her.

Her passion and love for family is evident, and she longs to one day marry and raise children. But for now, cute bunnies and crafting are suffice.


She also runs a to-die-for adorable Vintage Treasure Hire business with her sister; hiring out fine china, silverware, linens and glassware. Poppy Tom Vintage would create the ultimate tea party atmosphere for any party or event.

Pop on over to the pretty space of the internet that Eloise calls home, stop by for a read with a cup of tea and say hello to A Lot Like Love.

You can follow Eloise's journey here on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

Welcome To The World...

Welcome to the world, sweet girl. May the beginning of our journey with you be full of love, positivity and warmth.


A birth story in the near future will follow and many updates I am sure! But for now, we are soaking up these minutes and truly being in the moment. Enjoy the next few weeks of guest posts by some lovely people, they are wonderful reads!

Plenty of love,