“Can you tell me what an active birth is?” An Active Birth is a term first defined by Janet Balaskas, although birthing actively is actually nothing new in the history of giving birth.  It was apparently King Louis XIV who insisted that his wives should lie down on a table, More…

“I’m looking forward to summer this year – but I’m worried about sun exposure, using sunblock, etc. for my child?” In New Zealand, we know that our sun is harsh and as adults, most of us have been bought up with the slogan ‘slip, slop, More…

“Is it bad that sometimes I feel like I just need some ‘me-time’?” Self-care isn’t selfish!  I don’t think any parent has found parenting to be a breeze all the time and sometimes we all need to come up for air!  As soon as we More…

‘Hooray its spring!  However, my baby has a runny nose, and it doesn’t seem to be a cold, could it be a pollen allergy?’ Spring!  Ah that excited feeling that winter is fading away and the long days of summer are on the horizon.  For More…

‘I’m a breastfeeding mum, full of a cold.  I don’t want my baby to get sick too, should I stop breastfeeding?’ Feeding your baby with breast milk when you’re unwell will provide them with some immunity from the sickness you are dealing with.  Our bodies More…

‘I’d like to understand some of the rollercoaster of postnatal emotions that can be experienced after having a baby – can you please help?’ Source: http://www.pada.nz/ The birth of a baby is a life changing event bringing with it a roller coaster of emotions. Most More…

Hugs don’t just feel great, but there are some amazing health benefits too. What’s that all about?  Have you ever heard of oxytocin?  Its other name is the ‘Hormone of Love’.  Oxytocin is the hormone that appears whenever we hug, make love, give birth, and breastfeed.  More…

Who fancies a massage? Most of us relish the opportunity for a relaxing massage.  It gives us time out from a busy life, can offer pain relief for tight or sore tissue and even help with injury recovery. Babies don’t generally have a busy life More…

‘A routine sounds amazing, but is it realistic?‘ It is a common question, even from complete strangers – “have you got your baby into a routine yet?” Particularly in Western society many people have an obsession for getting these completely dependent wee babies into a routine.  We also have More…

‘When do I need to start looking after my baby’s teeth? You may be surprised to hear that good oral health for your baby starts as early as in the womb!  Baby’s teeth start developing in the first 3 months of pregnancy even though you More…

‘The weather is so hot and humid at the moment, and baby’s sleep arrangements are going to be different, please remind me what to do to keep baby as safe as possible.’ Safely sleeping your baby is so important.  Here are some guidelines Around 60 More…

Becoming a parent can be one of the most rewarding and challenging things that happen in life. It’s not unusual for a new parent to talk about how much they love their baby one minute, only to be longingly thinking back on how uncomplicated pre-baby More…

Setting boundaries with family and friends when you have a new baby can be tricky. Especially around the festive season and summer holidays where you have increased friends and Whānau  visiting.  The joy of welcoming a new baby into their lives and celebrating with the More…

Spring is finally here and it’s a time of incredible growth in the garden, encouraging children into the garden is a wonderful way to teach them about nature and where their food comes from. Ask your kids what they would like to grow. It’s a More…

Rotorua is fun, unique, smelly, and steamy. It’s also a living science, history, and Maori culture lesson. A great location for a family holiday. There’s no shortage of family friendly things to see and do in Rotorua, here are a few of my favourites. Terrace More…