FREE!

SEPTEMBER 2013

Top Baby Names

For 2013

Pets and children -

how to strike a balance

The Birth Control

Decision

Time saving

for new mums

Your Free Parenting magazine in the hawkesbury

3

Small Steps Parenting Magazine

www.smallstepsparenting.com

www.facebook.com/smallstepsparenting

Letter from the Editor

Dear Reader,

Welcome to our September issue on babies. Having a baby is a very spe-

cial season in our life and in this issue we hope to touch on various areas

that may interest you during this time and as they grow.

Babies are such an incredible creation. They bring forth a sense of magic

into our lives as we watch them grow and learn and see life anew.

As your children grow I encourage you to spend time with them and try to

see the world how they see it. Everything is so exciting and everything

begs to be explored. Why not try spending the afternoon blowing bubbles,

flying kites or playing with boats in the bath...

I also wanted to thank all our readers for your kind support with this

magazine. I am so blessed to have had so many kind rsponses to the hard

work that is put in each month in the creation of this magazine.

Please support us too by paying attention to the businesses

Who are placed within our pages. Along with us, they are

Members of our community and are doing their

Best to provide you with a product or service to

Meet your needs. Showing your support to

them will allow us to continue to

bring you a quality magazine each and

every month.

Julie-Anne England

Contents

Special Features

10 18 20 22

Top 40 Baby Names of 2013 Kids are quick Time saving tips for Mums Getting your body back after baby

September 2013

Regulars

Letter from the Editor Monthly Recipe - Tasty Banana Bread Ask a nurse - questions from readers Your Story - My miracle baby Make a change Kid’s fun Business Directory Community Noticeboard

3 8

9

14

17 24 26 28

Articles

Finding out the Gender The birth control decision Fido meet baby - preparing your pet for the new arrival Bonding with your baby through massage Routine vs Unstructured

5 6

11 12 19

Cover photo is by Deb Muir Photography (see ad page 26)

Photo this page by Nostalgia Photography

4

Finding Out the Gender

Are you having a boy or a girl? This seems

to be the standard question that pregnant

women get asked. Whether people actually

care or not, it seems like the natural thing to

say. Pregnancy is one of those exciting sea-

sons in a woman’s life and people seem to

want to be a part of that.

So what about those couples who choose

not to find out? These days it is more likely

that parents-to-be choose to find out the sex

of their baby. Our advances in technology

now allow a relatively accurate peek at what

we are growing inside. However, there are

still a select group that choose to wait until

the birth to find out the sex.

There are pros and cons to both decisions.

For those who choose not to find out the

sex, they get to enjoy the surprise at the

birth but then they are stuck receiving gifts

of yellow, green or white at their baby

shower. Parents who choose to know the

sex of their baby can prepare more easily by

buying nursery furniture, bedding and

clothes that match with the sex. However,

there is that small risk that the ultrasound

technician was wrong…. What do you do

with piles and piles of tiny pink clothes and

an elaborately decorated pink nursery when

you give birth to a boy?

There are also those couples who choose to

find out the sex but decide to keep it a se-

cret from others, choosing instead to reveal

it either at the birth or at a newly

popular “gender reveal” baby

shower. I do think that it does allow

for a bit more of a surprise element

at the birth for friends and family

when they don’t already know the

sex and name of the child prior. The

arrival message can read “We are

pleased to announce the arrival of a

perfect little girl who we named

Isabelle Grace, born at 5.36pm.”

Where as the arrival message of an expected

boy already named Cameron is more like

“Cameron is here!”

What about when one parent wants to find

out when the other doesn’t? Who gets their

way? When I was pregnant with my first

child this came up during the pregnancy…

my husband really wanted to know the sex

where as I wanted to enjoy the surprise at

the birth. Unable to come to an agreement

we decided to each go our own way - my

husband found out and I didn’t. Surprisingly

I really enjoyed this compromise. I got to

wait till the birth to find out I was having a

daughter but still got to enjoy shopping for

my precious unborn child without sticking

to gender neutral clothes. I would go shop-

ping with my husband and would select four

or five outfits for a girl and for a boy and

then I would leave the store. My husband

would then go back and purchase the

clothes that matched the sex we were hav-

ing. He then also packed the baby bag and

after my baby was born I had a lovely selec-

tion of gender appropriate clothes for my

new bundle.

When it comes down to it, it is your deci-

sion and let’s face it, there is no right or

wrong answer. This is your pregnancy and

your baby and you get to write the story the

way you want….

5

6

The Birth Control Decision

After having a baby, your ability to con-

ceive again can return after only a few

weeks. If you are not planning to have an-

other baby straight away, you will need to

think about contraception. Even though-

having sex may be the last thing on your

mind after getting up numerous times dur-

ing the night to your newborn, it is wise to

investigate the various forms of contracep-

tion available and discuss your needs with

your midwife or doctor before leaving

hospital.

Before starting any form of contraception

you need to make sure you are not already

pregnant. Talking with a doctor or other

health professional can help you decide

which method of birth control is best suited

to your needs. Information that you need to

know is how the methods available work,

how effective they are, how soon you can

start to use it, the advantages and disadvan-

tages of the method and any side effects

you may experience.

The choices you have depend on your

needs and also whether you are breastfeed-

ing or not. Breastfeeding can be used as a

form of contraception, and is effective in

preventing pregnancy provided that:

you haven’t had a period since your

baby was born

your baby is less than six months old

you are not giving your baby any other

food or fluids

you are feeding regularly day and night

every three to four hours.

You need to discuss this with your health

care practitioner before you use this

method.

Other forms of contraception which are

safe during breastfeeding are the mini pill,

barrier methods such as the female/male

condoms and diaphragms, fit and forget

methods such as Depo Provera (injection),

Implanon (implant), IUD’s or other meth-

ods such as natural family planning.

If you are not breastfeeding you can choose

any form of birth control which suits your

needs after discussing this with your doctor

about how soon you can start to use the

type you choose. If you are totally certain

that you don’t want any more children you

may consider sterilisation for permanent

birth control.

It is a good idea to discuss birth control

with your partner so that you are both

happy with the decision. Spacing your chil-

dren is a personal decision and couples

need to talk together about their desires and

expectations and any concerns that they

may have. Becoming a parent is a big life

change and you and your partner need to

feel ready to meet the joys and challenges

of raising a family.

7

Would you like to see your recipe

featured here? Go to our webpage or

facebook and share your favourite

recipe with us.

8

Monthly Recipe

Tasty Banana Bread

Ingredients:

Melted low-fat butter or margarine,

to grease

50g butter, melted, cooled

1 3/4 cups self-raising flour

1/4 cup plain flour

2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup of light milk

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 overripe medium bananas, mashed

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease an

11 x 21cm (base measurement) loaf pan with

melted butter or margarine. Line the base and

two opposite sides with non-stick baking pa-

per, allowing it to overhang.

2. Sift the flours and cinnamon into a large

bowl. Stir in the sugar and make a well in the

centre. Place the milk, eggs, melted butter

and banana in a medium bowl, and stir until

well combined. Add the banana mixture to

the flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and

smooth the surface.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 min-

utes or until a skewer inserted into the centre

comes out clean. Remove from oven and set

aside in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn onto a

wire rack to cool completely. Cut into slices

to serve.

Ask a Nurse...

9

QUESTION: I’m not always sure of how to dress my baby. How do I

make sure she is not too hot or too cold?

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Every baby is an individual so when dressing your little one you

need to take into account the season of the year and the temperature of

your house. Many babies tend to be overdressed. For example, I once

saw a young baby dressed in about 4 layers of clothing and swaddled in

a blanket while his parents were dressed in T shirts and shorts on a

warm summer day.

As a general guideline, even very young infants only require

the same amount of clothing that an older person would need

with perhaps the addition of a light bunny rug or blanket.

Babies can get overheated and if your baby feels hot to touch

but otherwise appears well, he/she may need to have some clothing re-

moved. In very hot weather, a singlet and nappy may be all that is re-

quired. When dressing your little one for bed, a onesie is a good choice

as it will keep him or her covered and cosy.

If you need advice on any aspect of baby care always consult your

health care professional.

When it comes to naming your new baby, how do you fair? Did you have your child’s

name picked out when you were in high school? Do you stick to family traditions and

name your child after the father or great grand mother or do you spend months going

through lists of baby names trying to come to some sort of agreement with your partner?

When naming your child keep the following things in mind...

Unusual names may have certain appeal but could be hard for people to pronounce

and may make for a lifetime of spelling the name out

Common names are usually popular for a reason but may follow trends (such as the

name Isabella after the Twilight series came out). Also keep in mind that with popu-

lar names your child may be one of four in his or her class.

Family names tend to be followed for tradition but can create a certain expectation

for children who are named in generations. They may feel obliged to go into certain

professions or keep on family businesses because of the name.

Don’t forget to check out the acronym that is produced from your chosen first, mid-

dle and last names. For example Phillip Ian Green might sound fine to you but he

could suffer teasing at school when the kids figure out that his initials spell PIG.

Here are the top 40 baby names for 2012 according to various reports from Births,

Deaths and Marriages.

Top 40 Baby Names….

10

Girls Names Charlotte

Ruby

Olivia

Chloe

Sophie

Emily

Mia

Amelia

Ava

Isabella

Ella

Grace

Sienna

Lily

Madison

Zoe

Sophia

Emma

Isla

Hannah

Boys Names Jack

William

Noah

Ethan

Oliver

Thomas

Lucas

James

Cooper

Lachlan

Liam

Joshua

Jacob

Alexander

Samuel

Max

Benjamin

Mason

Charlie

Xavier

Our dog(s) are a huge part of our family

and we want them to feel happy and com-

fortable when a new baby arrives.

Here are some tips you may find helpful in

preparing pooch for the new arrival.

Establish yourself as a strong leader to your

dog, you’ll have nine months to work

through most issues your dog may have.

Break unwanted habits now and you will be

rewarded with a calm, well-behaved dog

when you bring your newborn home.

Place baby clothes, nappies and toys around

the house to get your dog accustomed to

these new items. Set clear boundaries and

challenge the dog to sniff from a distance,

while you are holding an item. By doing so,

you are communicating to your dog that the

item is yours, you are the boss!

Before introducing dog and baby, take the

dog(s) on a long walk to drain all of your

dog's energy. First impressions are impor-

tant. Your dog should have pleasant experi-

ences with your baby right from the start. I

suggest having some of your dog’s favour-

ite treats at the ready to reward the calm

greeting behaviour. Make sure you are calm

and allow the dog to sniff the baby, but at a

respectful distance. Eventually, the dog can

be allowed to get closer to the baby. By

doing this, you are teaching the dog to re-

spect the baby as another pack leader.

Maintain a routine with your dog by pro-

viding daily walks and consistent leader-

ship. Toys are only a temporary fix, dogs

crave our attention and to be included, es-

pecially where the new baby is concerned.

As the baby settles in, continue to focus on

associating her with good things for your

dog. You may be tempted to give the dog

lots of attention when the baby’s asleep and

then try to get him to lie down, be quiet and

leave you alone while the baby’s awake.

It’s actually much better to do the opposite.

Try to give your dog lots of attention when

the baby is present. Teach your dog that

when baby is around, he gets treats, petting,

playing and time with you. When you walk

your dog, do your best to take the baby

along. The dog will soon learn to associate

this fun activity with the baby.

Finally, never leave baby unattended with

the dog! As much as we love and trust our

fur babies, human babies don’t understand

dog behaviour and may provoke an un-

wanted response.

In most cases, dogs quickly view a baby as

an integral part of the family. They easily

adopt the roles of protector and playmate,

and they’re thoroughly tolerant of chil-

dren’s antics.

Written by Olivia Cavanagh, owner of dog

& baby brand “Bubba Woof”

Fido meet baby Fido meet baby

11

The few first hours, days, weeks and

months with your brand new, precious little

person are magical. You are learning about

each other, recovering from their arrival

(birth, foster or adoption) and are also more

than likely in need of a good night’s sleep.

This is an exciting, wonderful and emo-

tional time which can also be a little over-

whelming. Infant massage is a fantastic

tool that can help everyone in the family.

Touch is our very first sense to develop and

without it we cannot thrive. Infant Mas-

sage is perfect for skin to skin contact and

is widely recognised to encourage and pro-

mote the bond between a parent and new

baby.

The bond that develops is a very strong

emotional connection. For some parents

this connection happens immediately. For a

mother it can happen during pregnancy and

before the birth of the baby. For others,

such as dads, or if a baby is fostered or

adopted, it can take some time and encour-

agement to develop.

There are no time limits and bonding can

happen at any stage during a baby’s devel-

opment.

During the bonding process a baby will

learn from its parents, the love, trust and

compassion to help them grow and succeed

in life. This is a time for connection, learn-

ing and development and also the start of

an attachment between the two of you that

will last a lifetime.

There are so many benefits to Infant Mas-

sage such as;

Learning relaxation and soothing tech-

niques to relax and reduce stress levels;

Helping to relieve colic, tummy pain

and teething discomfort;

Improving baby’s sleeping patterns;

Improving communication and under-

standing between you and your baby;

Stimulating baby’s vital systems and

improving mind/body awareness; and

Promoting neurological and physiologi-

cal development.

12

Bonding

with your

baby

through

massage

Here are some tips and ideas to keep in

mind when you are massaging your baby:

Get comfortable and relax - it is really

important for you to relax as your baby

is likely to mirror your emotions, so if

you are not relaxed they are not going

to relax – take a few deep breaths be-

fore you start;

Make sure the room is warm, lights are

not shining in baby’s eyes and turn on

some quiet, soothing music;

Remember to take off any jewellery so

you don’t scratch your baby during the

massage;

Make sure your baby is happy to have a

massage, look for happy cues such as

eyes open wide and bright, smiling,

gazing into your eyes, cooing, sucking

contentedly, laughing, lying quietly and

relaxed;

Try to choose oil that is natural and

unscented - your baby is very likely to

put his/her hand in their mouth during

their massage so you want something

that is not going to harm them. Cold

pressed vegetable oils are a good exam-

ple;

Start your massage on the legs and feet

– many babies enjoy this the most.

You can do some slow long strokes

from their hips to their toes, or little

circles around their ankles and tops of

the feet. Don’t forget “this little piggy”

on all their toes.

Infant Massage classes are taught by vari-

ous Infant Massage Instructors and can be

provided in the privacy and comfort of

your own home or can be facilitated with

other parents in a relaxed, social group.

The skills you will learn can benefit your

family for a lifetime.

Written by Michelle Coleman, Infant Mas-

sage Instructor, Nurturing TLC

13

14

Your Story

Julie’s Story - My Miracle baby

Becoming a mum was very important to

me. In my mind I was always meant to be a

mother. From a little girl pushing my dolls

in their prams to the days where I worked

full time caring for other people kids, I

always dreamed of the day when they

would be mine. Then I got pregnant. Un-

fortunately the pregnancy ended almost as

soon as it started. I was disappointed but

hadn’t even fully believed it was true so I

didn’t struggle with it too much.

The following month I again found out I

was pregnant. I was elated! I made an ap-

pointment to see my doctor to have it con-

firmed and yes, I was indeed pregnant. The

doctor booked me in for a dating scan

around what would be week 8 of the preg-

nancy.

My morning sickness was not too bad but I

struggled with quite bad heartburn. I kept

telling myself that it wasn’t so bad a I was

going to be a mum! Two weeks passed and

began to feel anxious about the pregnancy.

I kept my focus on my 8 week scan and

tried to think positive. A few days before

the scan I was talking with my mum. I told

her I just wanted to have the scan and know

everything was alright. She was confused

and assured me it would be.

On the day of the scan my husband and I

went to the clinic together. I was excited

but really nervous. I lay quietly on the table

while the ultrasound technician ran the

probe over my tummy. She was very quiet.

I kept looking at her and then the monitor.

Within a few minutes my fears were con-

firmed… my precious baby’s heart had

stopped beating a few days earlier. I was

absolutely crushed. I kept wondering what

I had done wrong. Unfortunately my body

wouldn’t miscarry on its own so I ended up

having a D & C (dilation and curette) to

remove the baby. I was absolutely heart-

broken. I asked the doctor when I could try

again. I felt like if I got pregnant straight

away it would be as if I never lost this

baby. He told me that I needed time to heal

and I should give it a couple of months.

During this time I allowed myself to

grieve. I released balloons as a memorial of

my child and began to focus again on the

future. I found this difficult though as three

of my other friends were pregnant at this

time and were all due around the time I

would have been.

A few months down the track and I once

again saw those magical little pink lines on

the pregnancy test. I allowed myself to get

excited but wanted to protect myself from

getting hurt again. We decided not to tell

anyone until we passed our first trimester.

The first few weeks absolutely dragged. I

felt like I was moving in slow motion. All I

wanted was to get through this pregnancy

and hold my baby.

This time around my morning sickness was

horrible. I spent each morning over the

toilet bowl feeling absolutely terrible but I

kept telling myself that it was a sign of a

healthy pregnancy.

Then one night when I was six weeks along

I felt a small trickle. I ran to the toilet and

sat down to see blood pouring out. I began

sobbing as I watched the toilet fill with

blood. Not again! I cannot do this again.

My baby, my baby, I cried.

The next day my husband took me for an

ultrasound. I walked quietly into the room

trying to prepare myself once again to be

told I had lost the baby.

I carefully watched the monitor as she

scanned me. She was very quiet for a long

15

time and then left the room. A minute later

she returned to tell me that I was actually

still pregnant and that there was a little

heart beat but I had what is called a sub-

chorionic haematoma (SCH). A SCH is a

collection of blood underneath the pla-

centa. Apparently it was very large—way

larger than the baby and they were amazed

I was still pregnant. They told me that I

would continue to bleed and would most

likely lose the pregnancy.

I went home feeling very sad but had a tiny

glimmer of hope. Now was just a waiting

game to see how far I could get.

As the days passed with no more signs of

bleeding I began to relax. At around 8

weeks I went to a friend’s house for a so-

cial gathering with a bunch of friends. I

hadn't told them I was pregnant as I was

fully expecting to lose this baby too.

After a little while chatting I felt that famil-

iar trickle. I quickly excused myself to go

to the bathroom. Again I watched as the

toilet filled with blood. I tried to clean up

as best as I could and headed home where I

miserably climbed into bed.

My next scan revealed that I was miracu-

lously still pregnant but the doctor kept

telling me to not get attached because I

would lose this baby too.

The weeks passed at a snail pace for me as

I gradually marked off each week on my

calendar. I didn’t see any more signs of

bleeding and I actually looked forward to

seeing my baby at the 12 week scan.

It was such an amazing moment seeing that

tiny baby move about on the ultrasound

monitor. Apparently the SCH was still

there but had slightly reduced in size. I was

again warned that my baby was still in dan-

ger.

I began to feel more and more hopeful as

I progressed in my pregnancy and at my

18 week scan I was given amazing news.

The SCH was completely gone and I was

now out of the danger zone! Now the rest

of my pregnancy should progress as nor-

mal. Every week was a huge triumph for

me. I was jealous of all those women who

breeze through their pregnancies.

Finally I began to near the end of my preg-

nancy. My baby was doing well and I was

looking forward to a nice normal birth.

A week after my due date I went into the

hospital to be reviewed. I had been labour-

ing on and off for three days but hadn’t

progressed. The doctor informed me that

my baby was showing signs of distress and

they were concerned about the placental

function. They said her life was at risk. I

immediately agreed to an emergency cae-

sarean. I just needed to know my baby was

safe.

I was quickly prepped for surgery and they

began with my husband by my side.

I waited anxiously to hear that cry. Within

minutes I heard that precious cry. It’s a

girl! They all told me. I cried with joy as

they brought her over to me. I patted her

beautiful little face with my hand and

kissed her cheek. I couldn’t believe it was

all over.

After nine extremely long months I finally

had my precious miracle baby. As I stared

at her perfect little face the pain of the past

months melted away and I was able to

revel in my glow of being a mum!

This story was written by Julie, a mum in

the Hawkesbury.

Small Steps Parenting Magazine would

love to hear your story about pregnancy,

birth, moments of triumph, family stories

or inspirational stories. To have your

story published please email us at

info@smallstepsparenting.com

16

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?

Tell us what you think of

Small Steps Parenting Magazine

We would love to hear from you

to answer your questions or hear

about how we can make this a

better magazine for you

info@smallstepsparenting.com

www.facebook.com/

smallstepsparenting

?

We would love to hear how you have

helped someone in your community or

hear how someone has made a differ-

ence to you. Please write to us and

share your story. Send your story to

info@smallstepsparenting.com

Change Change Make a

Here at Small Steps Parenting Magazine we believe

that each one of us has the power to make a difference

in our world. Make a change is about that. It is about

doing one thing each month to make a difference in

someone else’s life and create a change in the atmosphere

in our own community.

This month we want to place focus on the importance of building relationships with the peo-

ple around you. In our lives, who is physically closer than your neighbours? Our neighbours

can create a good or a bad environment to live in. Building relationships with your

neighbours can make a huge difference to how you live every day. Imagine how different

life would be if you knew all the people in the homes near you.

In order to build relationships with your neighbours try some of the following:

Baking some biscuits or muffins and taking them over and introducing yourself if

you have never formally done so

Plan a block or street party - invite all the neighbours and all bring a plate of food.

Use the time to get to know each other.

Plan an annual street event for the kids… encourage everyone to put in a few dollars

for a petting zoo or some sort of entertainment.

Take over some soup or a meal for neighbours who have been unwell or have had a

new baby.

Offer to take care of the kids for a neighbour who needs a bit of a break.

Don’t forget that every little thing you do can

have an impact on those around you. Even a

seemingly small thing can mean a lot to some-

one. Plus it may be you one day who needs the

extra hand and it will feel good to know that

your neighbours have your back.

17

18

TEACHER: Maria, go to the map and find

North America.

MARIA: Here it is.

TEACHER: Correct. Now class, who dis-

covered America?

CLASS: Maria.

TEACHER: John, why are you doing your

math multiplication on the floor?

JOHN: You told me to do it without using

tables.

TEACHER: Glenn, how do you spell

'crocodile?'

GLENN: K-R-O-K-O -D-I-A-L

TEACHER: No, that's wrong

GLENN: Maybe it is wrong, but you asked

me how I spell it.

TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical

formula for water?

DONALD: H I J K L

M N O.

TEACHER: What

are you talking

about?

DONALD: Yesterday

you said it's H to O.

TEACHER: Winnie, name

one important thing we

have today that we didn't

have ten years ago.

WINNIE: Me!

TEACHER: Millie,

give me a sentence

starting with 'I.'

MILLIE: I is...

TEACHER: No,

Millie..... Always say, 'I am.'

MILLIE: All right... 'I am the ninth letter of

the alphabet.'

TEACHER: George Washington not only

chopped down his father's cherry tree, but

also admitted it. Now, Louis, do you know

why his father didn't punish him?

LOUIS: Because George still had the axe

in his hand.

TEACHER: Glen, why do you always get

so dirty?

GLEN: ! Well, I'm a lot closer to the

ground than you are.

TEACHER: Now, Simon, tell me frankly,

do you say prayers before eating?

SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom

is a good cook.

TEACHER: Clyde, your composition on

'My Dog' is exactly the same as your

brother's. Did you copy his?

CLYDE: No, teacher, it's the same dog.

TEACHER: Harold, what do you call a

person who keeps on talking when people

are no longer interested?

HAROLD: A teacher.

For a Laugh...

Kids are quick

You have just been through nine months of

pregnancy. You read all the books about how

you should be feeling, what to expect and

how to prepare for labour. Now you have just

arrived home from the hospital with your

newborn baby… so what next?

As parents we tend to do what feels right to

us and we tend to vary on our opinions, so we

asked our readers—routine or unstructured?

How do they run their households with the

children? The majority of our mums said that

they have their kids in a good routine. This

usually means that they tend to eat and sleep

at around the same times everyday. Out of

these “routine mums” there were few that had

completely structured days, almost like a

timetable.

In the minority were mums who said that

they didn’t like routine at all and just pre-

ferred to go with the flow.

So what is best? Routine or unstructured?

There is really no right or wrong answer. As

the parent you get to make the decision and

do what works well for you. However, if you

honestly had no idea where to begin I would

suggest a simple routine allowing for flexibil-

ity which is what most of our mums said they

found worked best for them. Routine has

certain benefits for babies and children.

Firstly it allows the day to have a sort of pre-

dictability which can be very comforting for

children as they know what to expect. For

example if you put a bedtime routine into

place from a young age, not only will it sig-

nal to your child that it is nearing bedtime but

it will also help them sleep better as their

body clock will work with the schedule.

An unstructured routine can have its benefits

too and kids will learn to fit in with your life-

style. Often initial children will be in a rou-

tine where as subsequent children are often

expected to fit in with the current schedule

including school drop offs, sporting activities

and grocery shopping while the other kids are

at school. Children who are used to this un-

structured life will tend to nap when they can

and go with the flow.

If you are not sure where to begin just watch

your child. From birth, children will often

dictate their own routines and if you take

note of when they do certain things and for

how long, you will very quickly be able to

create a routine around their natural schedule.

This can help you to know when they are

hungry, tired and want to play. As they grow

you can adjust the routine to meet their

changing needs.

The most important thing is that you do what

works for you and your child. Don’t get

caught up trying to do the “right” thing that

you don’t make time to really enjoy your

child and the time you have with them.

Routine vs. Unstructured

19

20

Time Saving tips for Mum’s

There never seems to be enough time in the

day… especially when you have kids! From

the time you get up in the morning, there is

always something to be done, so we com-

piled a list of things you can easily do to

save time.

1. Have a chores list. Planning out your

chores over the week allows you to fit

everything in without feeling like you

are doing nothing but chores. Go to our

facebook page and request your free

Chores chart to get you started.

2. Have a family planner. Keeping all of

your appointments listed will help keep

you organized and stop you feeling so

rushed. Use a large calendar and keep it

in a place where you will see it and set

reminders in your phone so you don’t

forget.

3. At least once a week cook double the

quantity of your planned meal and

freeze the second portion. This will al-

low you to have a healthy quick meal for

nights where you are really short on

time—like after kids sports or school

events.

4. Plan your grocery list according to your

local shop layout. This will save you lots

of time because you won’t have to back-

track for items all over the store.

5. Plan your day the night before. Do

things such as lay out an outfit for the

next day, make lunches and pack bags to

leave by the door to reduce the morning

rush and stress.

6. Have the kids help out by packing up

their toys at the end of day. Even a quick

15 minute tidy will make a difference.

7. Have a meal plan organized each week.

It will help you to be prepared for what

meals you are cooking each day and

whether you need to defrost anything in

the fridge overnight the day before.

8. Plan your big purchases. If you are

shopping for something that may need to

be ordered in, call ahead in advance to

see if they have what you require to save

you from driving to the store if it is not

available.

9. Try to plan your laundry. Putting on a

smaller load every day or every second

day will be more manageable and take

less time than allowing the load to be-

come overly large.

10. Plan your day. Setting yourself certain

tasks for the day will help you to stay on

track and help to avoid wasting time

doing things that aren’t on your list.

11. Pick and choose your social engage-

ments. It’s okay to decline some invita-

tions and gatherings. Choose the ones

that are important to you and feel free to

decline the ones that just don’t suit you

or your family.

12. Plan your paperwork. Create files or

folders for all your important paperwork

such as bank statements, insurance in-

formation etc. Open mail as soon as it

21

arrives and file it immediately. For mail

that needs to be actioned set aside 10

minutes each evening.

13. Don’t waste time on the internet when

you could be doing something else. Set

yourself a period of time for emailing

and social networking and stick to it.

Maybe give yourself half an hour each

evening or use it as a reward for accom-

plishing other tasks on your list.

14. Plan all of your errands for one day a

week. It will not only save you money

on petrol but it will save you time by not

having to go out several times.

15. Leave anti-bacterial wipes in the cup-

board in the bathroom and give the bath-

room a quick wipe down every few

nights while the kids are in the bath.

16. If you have a smart phone (and really,

who doesn’t these days?) or a tablet, use

small periods of time like waiting for a

doctor’s appointment to check your

emails.

17. Have a “kids swap” day with a friend

once a fortnight. You watch their kids

for a couple of hours and then have them

do the same for you. Use this time to do

some tasks that are easier done without

the kids underfoot.

18. Set-up a small cupboard (or maybe a

box) with some special kids items such

as non-messy crafts, puzzles or small

toys. Let the kids use this cupboard

when you need some peace to cook

meals or put away clothes.

19. Place a box underneath each of your

children’s beds. When you notice a

piece of clothing that doesn’t fit them,

place it in the box instead of returning it

to the closet. When it is full, recycle the

clothes to a younger sibling, loan to

friend’s or give them away to charity.

Small Steps would love to hear your time

saving tips. Go to our Facebook page and

share your best tips.

www.facebook.com/smallstepsparenting

Join us on Facebook for

regular craft ideas, meal

plans, freebies, competitions

and more!

Top 5 tips to get your pre-baby body back!

Finally your new baby has arrived! This

marks an exciting time in your life, but also

a busy time. You have so much more to

think about now, and so losing those post

pregnancy kilos is just another thing to add

to the list.

I have created 5 easy steps to start you on

your way to get your pre baby body back!

Don’t diet

This may seem strange, but counting calo-

ries could actually slow down your pro-

gress. If you are feeling deprived, it can

stress you out and cause you to gain weight.

Instead, focus on eating healthy and only

when you are hungry.

Eat 6 times a day

Yes, that’s right, 6 times! Eating small fre-

quent meals, consisting of 3 meals and 3

snacks, helps to boost your metabolism and

ensures you don’t over eat.

Load up on superfoods

When you are a new mother, your body

needs maximum nutrition, especially

if you are breastfeeding. Choose

foods that are high in nutrition and

low in calories. Some examples

include fish, milk, yoghurt, lean

chicken and beef, fresh fruit and

vegetables.

Drink up

Drink plenty of water! By drinking

plenty of water, it prevents you from

getting dehydrated and helps to fill you

up. If you struggle to drink enough water (8

glasses a day is a good guide) then try add-

ing some fresh lemon to change the taste or

try and have a glass with each meal.

Move it!

Diet is important, but you will also need to

incorporate exercise into your post preg-

nancy plan. This doesn’t mean you have to

join the gym, walking is a simple and cost

effective way to head you in the right direc-

tion. You will want to aim for at least 5x30

minute sessions per week.

If you are struggling to lose weight, then

consult your doctor or dietician to help de-

sign an eating plan to help you

lose weight safely and

effectively.

Written by Abby Fleming, a

nutritionist in the Hills

District.

22

Protect your child’s skin

this summer As a special promotion for the readers of Small Steps you can

obtain one of these gorgeous cotton summer hats for only $6*

- that’s a huge saving of $9!

To get yours simply log on to the Small Steps Facebook page and

tell us how many hats and what colour you prefer.

Quote code SSPHAT

Hats are sized to fit children from 2-5years.

* Plus $1.50 shipping. For those readers who obtain their copy of Small Steps from

a daycare centre or preschool/kindergarten, you can request your hat to be deliv-

ered to your preschool to save shipping cost. Promotion ends October 31st 2013 or

while stocks last.

1

2

3

4

5

Kids Fun!

30

With September school holidays just around the corner we decided to have some fun with

shadow puppets. Shadow puppets are fun and easy to create and can involve the whole

family. Here’s how to create your own shadow puppet theatre:

Start by printing out the shadow puppet tem-

plates (you can get yours from our Facebook

page for free).

Glue the shapes to cardboard and carefully cut

out (you may need an adult to help you do

this)

Stick the shapes onto paddlepop sticks with

glue or sticky tape.

Use a sheet and some pegs to create a shadow

puppet theatre. There are a few ways to make

a shadow puppet theatre -

Hang a sheet over a dinner table and climb underneath

Hang the sheet from the ceiling and use some chairs or a lounge to define the

space

If you have a simple pop up tent, this can work well too

Grab a bright flashlight and put it behind you. Shine the light at the sheet and

hold up the puppets to create cool shadows. Have your audience sit on the other

side of the sheet and create stories with your puppets to entertain!

1

2

3

4

5

24

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All articles in Small Steps are for editorial purposes and not necessarily the opinion of the publisher. Small

Steps does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any of the information, content, or adver-

tisements contained on, distributed through, or linked, downloaded, or accessed through this magazine or

the corresponding website or facebook page, nor the quality of any products, information or other materials

displayed, purchased, or obtained by you as a result of an advertisement or any other information.

In no event shall Small Steps be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, punitive, or consequential dam-

ages of any kind whatsoever with respect to the service, the materials, and the products. You are encour-

aged to exercise discretion while browsing the Internet. No part of this publication or the corresponding

website is to be copied or reproduced without permission.

Enter our colouring competition for your chance to win a 30cm plush bunny. Simply colour-in

the page, scan or take a photo of it and upload it to our facebook page. Winner will be an-

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Colouring Competition

www.angelbabes.com.au

Kids wear

Gift ideas

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Baby Shower

27

Social media: www.facebook.com/smallstepsparenting

Website: www.smallstepsparenting.com

Email: info@smallstepsparenting.com

Advertising enquiries: phone 0415 216 186

Community

Our playgroup is open to all mums,

dads and carers.

Join us during the school term from

10am-12pm Tuesday, Thursday and

Friday. Lots of variety for parents and kids

with some fun day trips now and then.

Call us on 0414 377 266

Scribbles Playgroup is held at the

Church Vineyard in the Sunbeams

Room.

Cnr Windsor and Brenan Dams Road,

Vineyard.

Check out our webpage:

www.scribblesplaygroup.com

(02) 4560 5714 www.hdhs.com.au

Free Parenting Groups phone: 4560 5714 for details

Walk & Talk: a pram walking

group for Hawkesbury’s Parents

& Grandparents

Meet & Greet: an information

and support group for first time

parents with babies 0-12 weeks

Sleep & Settling: sessions for

babies 0-6 months

Approaching Toddlerhood: in-

cluding sleep, nutrition, behav-

iour, development, play, learn-

ing

Early Childhood

Health Services for the

Hawkesbury Community

Free early childhood services

are available throughout the

district for families living in the

Hawkesbury LGA & London-

derry.

(02) 4560 5714 www.hdhs.com.au

Feeding, Immunisation and

Early Childhood

Development Clinics

phone: 4560 5714 for details

2 Day St Windsor (02) 4560 5714 www.hdhs.com.au

Rhyme Time @ Central

Library Windsor Every Monday 10am (except during

school holidays)

Rhymes, songs and craft for 18 months

to 3 years. Session runs for about 45

minutes, siblings welcome.

FREE - No bookings

required

Preschool Storytime Windsor every Tuesday @ 11am

Richmond every Thursday @ 11am

(except School Holidays)

Themed stories, rhymes and craft for

3 to 5 years. Session runs for about

60 minutes, siblings welcome.

FREE - No bookings required

Central Library Windsor

Richmond Branch Library

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