How to Buy Amazing Gifts for the New Parents in Your Life

Image via Lola Melani Photography (www.lolamelani.com)                             

Many of us have people in our lives who have either just had a new baby or are expecting one, and it can be hard to figure out the perfect gift. They may have a gift registry already created for their baby shower, but often, some of the more impactful items are snatched up right away. If you want to make sure your gift is thoughtful and appreciated, there are actually several options out there for you. Take a look at some of these ideas, courtesy of this months guest blogger diymama.net

Sentimental & Keepsake Gifts

As all parents know those first few weeks, months & years of a new baby's life go by so quickly. Here are some unique & sentimental keepsake gift ideas, to help new parents celebrate & remember this very special time in their lives.

 ▪️ Newborn & Family Photography is the best way to capture & celebrate new life - for memories that will last a lifetime.

 ▪️Baby prints footprint & handprint 3D Memory Kit 

▪️ Register a personalised star by choosing a star name, a constellation, a date and a message to commemorate this very special occasion.

Creature Comforts

Parenting a newborn means many changes are in store, among them are new routines and less sleep. What better way to show you care than providing creature comforts that can reduce the stress of new parenthood? Consider these suggestions:

 ▪️ The Top 4 Food Delivery Service Gift Cards: How to Give and Use Them

▪️Use a Best Buy Coupon Code to Save on Appliances, TV and Home Theater

▪️A Netflix Gift Subscription for When Sleep Isn’t an Option

▪️ Best Meal Kits for New Parents

▪️5 Affordable At-Home Massage Products for People with No Time

▪️Gentle Enough for Mom and Child: Coconut Skincare Products from ChamonixRain Organics

Around-the-House Helpers

 Everyday tasks like cleaning, doing the laundry, and washing the dishes become anything but mundane with a newborn at home -- these are now tedious, if not impossible, chores to get done. Ease the load by investing in one or more of these ideas:

Partner-to-Partner Gifting

It’s easy to know what your partner may love to have during this time of transition -- just think what you’d enjoy and go for that! You’re in it together, so consider these four gifts to give:

  ▪️A Wine Subscription for When It’s Time to Wind Down

 ▪️Maternity and Nursing Tops and Bottoms to Help With Mum’s Comfort

 ▪️A Stitch Fix Subscription to Boost Their Wardrobe

▪️The Best Weighted Blankets of 2021

Other Gifts

Sometimes, “doing” is the best gift of all. Put your thoughts and words into action and your partner is sure to be thankful.

Shopping for a new parent can prove difficult, but it’s important to determine what they need so they don’t end up with something they’ll never use. By looking for deals online and thinking outside the box when it comes to your shopping list, you can find the perfect gift without spending too much.

ChamonixRain Organics produces natural and organic coconut skincare products made with the finest natural and organic ingredients with strict certification standards. Find out more today! info@chamonixrainorganics.com

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The benefits of Baby Massage by Jodi Atkinson 

Baby Massage. Making the world a more peaceful place one baby at a time!

Baby massage is a tradition practiced by different cultures around the world. In western cultures baby massage is a relatively new concept with many more families massaging their babies every year.

So why do traditional cultures massage their babies and have continued to do so for generations?

The answer to that question is quite simple. Research shows babies that are massaged daily are healthier, stronger and generally happier.

How does massage have this positive effect on a baby?

Imagine If you received a massage daily which improved your digestion, helped you sleep sounder and made you feel relaxed and safe, you’d probably be feeling more positive about life too.

Why does a baby need massage?

Birth is a big event for both mother and baby. Some babies experience relatively easy births and others experience different levels of stress and sometimes trauma.

Even the most straight-forward birth involves the baby making a massive transition from life in water to breathing air. The baby has left the dimly lit, juicy, warm and safe space of utero into a bright, dry and quite rough textured world.

In utero during the later stages of pregnancy the baby experiences continuous sensations against their skin from the walls of the womb. Once born these familiar sensations abruptly cease.

When we undress a baby in a warm environment and rub oil or natural moisturiser into their skin and massage them with smooth, rhythmic, firm strokes, we are talking to them in a language they are familiar with and trust, the language of touch.

The familiarity of touch encourages babies to relax in their little bodies. They quickly learn that life is good and feel safer in the new world around them.

Massage encourages babies to sleep deeper and cry less. Massage is known to build stronger immunity, digestion and cognitive development. Some breastfeeding mothers who massage their babies daily have seen an improvement in their milk supply due to an increase in prolactin. They often feel more connected to their babies which encourages the hormone oxytocin.

I could write paragraph after paragraph about the positive changes I’ve personally witnessed in babies simply because their dedicated parents massaged them 10 minutes each day.

If you’d like to learn the full body baby massage routine, see the link at the bottom of this article to find an instructor in your area.

Meanwhile, I’d like to help you to get started with some basic guidelines. Any intentional regular touch is better than no touch.  Follow your instincts and intuition moving love through your hands into your baby.

Let’s get started:

• Massage is best done when your baby is receptive. It’s important that both you and your baby are enjoying the experience. You’ll find a time of day that works best for you and your family.

• Find a warm place in your home to set up a mat on the floor. You can play soft music if desired.

• I suggest you massage with a cold pressed, edible oil from a vegetable, nut or seed. Use one oil at a time to test for any skin reaction. Some mums prefer to use a favourite natural moisturiser, chemical free is important.

• Massage is best done with your baby’s nappy off so you can massage the full length of muscle and lymph nodes.

• Pour some oil or natural moisturiser onto one of your hands. Rubbing your hands together, hold your hands up in front of your baby and ask your baby for permission to start massaging them. This is important, it will teach your baby that people need to ask permission before touching them, a great life lesson. You will know your baby is ready to receive if they face you and interact. If they are turning away and crying, it’s not a good time for massage.

• On the limbs you can stroke either direction. Strokes in the direction from the heart towards the feet are relaxing, great for preparing your baby for sleep and improving immunity. Strokes from the feet towards the heart are stimulating, beneficial for growth and building strength.

         

• Back strokes move from the neck towards the toes. Making tummy time more fun and strengthening.

• Massaging the feet stimulates reflex points which encourages better health.

• Chest strokes are relaxing, a fun time to add songs and nursery rhymes. Chest and shoulder strokes may help relax tight neck muscles. If your baby prefers to only look one way this maybe a sign of tight neck muscles.

• Head and face strokes are relaxing. There are lots of muscles on the face that hold tension, especially around the jaw.

• Tummy massage is more effective if strokes move from your left to right, following the direction of your baby’s large intestine, guiding gas down and out. Stomach massage improves digestion and is good for relieving colic and constipation.

• Once you feel confident massaging your baby you can add nursery rhymes and songs to your massage routine cognitive development.

Most importantly have fun massaging your baby. Once you have a massage routine you could teach your partner how to massage his/her baby. A wonderful way for the working parent to connect with their baby at the end of the day.

I hope this article gives you some insight into why these cultures have continued to massage their babies from one generation to the next. I imagine it’s as simple as this, “if it works don’t stop doing it”.

If you are interested in learning more about baby massage or view my range of Organic Herbal Teas (inc. Pregnancy Wellbeing, Postnatal Restorative and Milky Way Breastfeeding Tea) please feel free to contact me Jodi Atkinson, IMA certified Infant massage instructor. Zoom workshops available online.

 Website:  www.flourishmumsandbubs.com.au

Instagram: www.instagram.com/flourishmumsandbubs

Email: jodi@flourishmumsandbubs.com.au

 

IMA instructors Australia wide can be found on the website below.

https://infantmassage.org.au/ 

CLICK HERE to watch our Baby Massage Video.

❤️ SPECIAL VALENTINES DAY OFFER 🎁

To celebrate the launch of our Baby Massage Video and to spoil your littlest loves this Valentines Day.... we are giving away a FREE bottle of our Natural Coconut Baby Moisturiser (valued at $24.95) with every order containing our Natural Coconut Baby Wash & Shampoo!!
So you can pamper your baby and experience the many benefits of baby massage together.

Simply enter VDAY in the comments section (not discount section) of your order at checkout and we will include your complimentary gift.

Terms & Conditions: 

• Offer Valid from Friday 5th - Wednesday 10th February.
• Limit of 1 complimentary Natural Coconut Baby Moisturiser with each order. NOT per bottle of Baby Wash & Shampoo purchased.
• Code word VDAY must be entered in the comments section at checkout.
• Offer only valid with purchase of our Natural Coconut Baby Wash & Shampoo. 
• Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. 

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The ChamonixRain Organics

COCONUT KONJAC SPONGE

The Konjac Sponge has an amazing history!

The wonderful Konjac Sponge is made from natural Konjac root, which is a porous vegetable that grows in Asia where the sponge originated. They were created for Japanese farmers, as a way to cleanse a baby’s skin. Proving this to be a much gentler way to exfoliate dead and dry skin from your face and body.

Shapes of our Coconut Konjac Sponges

1. Our Half Ball Konjac Sponge is the ideal size for babies, younger children and for your face.  

2. Then there is our Wave Konjac which is perfect for a full body exfoliation.

So, you may be thinking “You're saying this product is great and will make you feel great, but where is it from? What is it?”

Here are a few interesting facts you may want to know about this wonderful product.

What is a Konjac ? 

Konjac sponges are made from Natural Konjac which is a porous root vegetable which is naturally enriched with vitamins A, C, D, E, B1, B2, B6, B12, Folic Acid as well as a number of essential minerals including Potassium, Zinc, Magnesium and Copper. 

As mentioned above, Konjac is derived from Asia and can be found growing wild at very high altitudes. There’s a lot of natural and amazing benefits that come from this amazing natural ingredient. It is 97% water, which no one can ever get enough of, and is rich in amazing minerals and is low in calories.

They were invented by Japanese farmers and was used originally to wash and cleanse babies and young children’s skin because of how natural, safe, and effective it is on everyone's body not just babies to gently exfoliate the skin. This amazing product will also balance your skins pH levels whilst being gentle on the skin.

Not only is it great for your skin, it has been used as medicine, food, as a dieting aid, and as a beauty product. 

Our Konjac Sponge is Australia's First Product !!

We are incredibly proud to develop our Coconut Konjac Sponges, which are an Australian First product. These nutrient enriched sponges have been supercharged with the added skin vitamins and minerals of coconut powder, which is rich in fatty acids, vitamin E and antioxidants which do wonders for your skin.
Our sponges work beautifully in conjunction with our range of Natural Coconut Washes to help create a luxurious lather on the skin whilst offering a gentle skin exfoliation. 

It’s Environmentally Friendly!!

You can now recycle your plastic Loofah and sponges. Not only is it negatively affecting the environment, it’s not doing the work that the Konjac sponge can do. Our Sponges are 100% natural, biodegradable, and compostable. We wanted to give our customers something that can replace your normal plastic loofah with something that still does an amazing job, but is environmentally friendly.

Konjac sponges will give your skin a gentle daily exfoliation for that healthy glow you’ve been searching for!!

Gentle exfoliation of your skin on a daily basis using our Coconut Konjac sponges will help to unblock your pores and remove any excess dirt and dead skin cells that build up. This allows your skin to absorb the vitamins and minerals found within our nutrient enriched Coconut Konjac sponges and our plant based skincare products. Resulting in a clearer skin that looks and feels beautifully soft and healthy. 

After one use, you’ll notice the smooth and glowing complexion you’ve always wanted. Whether you use it on your young children or on your skin which needs more nourishment and attention to gently lift and remove dead skin cells to reveal healthier and more hydrated skin.

We guarantee you will fall in love with this product as much as we have, and wonder where it has been all your life 😀.

Key Features of our Coconut Konjac Sponges:

• 100% Natural 
• Made of natural fibres from the root of the Konjac Vegetable
• Softer than a loofah and finer texture than a washcloth
• Cruelty free and vegan friendly
• Safe for all skin types including babies and those with sensitive skin
• Cleanses and exfoliates the skin without irritation
• Biodegradable and compostable
• Naturally pH balanced
• Cleanses pores eliminating dirt and oil
• Safe for daily use
• Packed with vitamins, minerals & antioxidants
• Infused with coconut powder
• Australian first product

How to use your Coconut Konjac Sponge:

DIRECTIONS:

1. Soak the sponge in warm water for 2-3 minutes or until it has completely softened and expanded to approximately one and a half times its original size.

2. Once softened, gently squeeze between the flattened palm of your hands pressing out ALL excess water. It is important that you DO NOT ever twist or wring your sponges as this may cause damage to the delicate Konjac fibres.

3. Lightly massage the hydrated sponge over your skin in a circular motion to gently cleanse and exfoliate your face & body. Use on its own with water or together with our Natural Coconut body washes / your favourite natural cleanser to create a luxurious lather.

4. Rinse THOROUGHLY under warm running water ensuring that you also gently press out ALL excess water after each use.The sponge will naturally shrink and harden when dry.

5. Store and hang the sponge in a WELL VENTILATED area out of direct sunlight. Ensuring it is hung NOT directly touching any surfaces.

6. Replace every 4-6 weeks, depending on use and care. Being 100% plant based it will naturally decompose over time.

7. Optional: Sterilise in boiling water once a week

.

 You may also choose to store in the fridge in between uses. 

Click here Half Ball  / Wave Sponge to order your very own ChamonixRain Organics Coconut Konjac Sponge and experience this incredible all natural product for yourself.  

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I am so proud to be sharing this inspiring blog post written by one of our beautiful customers Megan who is mum to her incredibly brave, strong and resilient baby girl Matilda, who was born at 29+4 weeks via emergency cesarean weighing just 1120g. (1.12kg and 2.47lb).

When Megan shared this blog with us about her incredibly journey with a the premature delivery of her beautiful daughter Matilda, their roller coaster journey in NICCU, NICU and Matilda's many life saving operations  - I immediately asked her if I could share with you guys, our amazing community.

I hope you enjoy reading this beautifully written blog post of this brave family young family, and that it can also help give strength to anyone out there who may be also going through something similar.

@megan_schulte93

PART ONE - Our NICU Journey So Far 

Our NICCU journey, like so many, has been a long, hard and tough road. I want to begin by saying this piece of writing is not to get sympathy or to scare people; it’s purely just to share our story.

Throughout this crazy journey we’ve learned a lot of things; however most importantly we’ve learned how easy it is to lose perspective of things that matter in life... This isn’t something we do on purpose, it’s almost by default. The last 80 days have changed us! Our lives prior to our beautiful girl had consumed us - and now they seem so trivial.

Throughout this journey: the health of Matilda has been entirely compromised and we have felt helpless; everything that has happened during these tough times has been out of our control; and we’ve reached levels of desperation we never thought we could. We’ve felt broken, scared. Even though it shouldn't take trauma to stop us getting caught up in the everyday stresses of life, it sets in even more that nothing else in life matters except those around us... Our loved ones and their well-being.

Our time in NICU began 2 weeks after I was flown and admitted into The Mater, Brisbane, with severe pre-eclampsia which progressed into HELLP syndrome. I met my new Obstetrician - who would eventually be the one to deliver my baby and be the first of many people I consider hero’s. I couldn’t recommend her enough.

To me she literally made the call to save Matildaa life. Each day was a whirlwind; yet still filled with so much waiting around. My mum and Jake, my husband, grew new bonds that I never thought they could. They would fill the days with board games, facetimimg my nephew and sister, movies and cards.

After waiting those two weeks, Matilda and I couldn’t stay as one any longer. I had an emergency cesarean at 29+4 weeks. I remember this day so vividly; being so scared. I never imagined having a cesarean. Would I be okay? Would our baby be okay? Would I get to be awake for the procedure? One of my best friends arrived down to visit as a surprise, and sure enough was able to be there before the procedure. What a blessing this was for both Jake and I.

Time went so quickly and within 4 hours we had our gorgeous girl, weighing in at 1120g. I heard a cry, saw her briefly, and Jake was able to go with her to cut the cord; I wasn’t able to hold her, feel her and let her know I was there. She was soon taken upstairs to the Prem Med section and even though through all of this I was terrified, what I soon discovered was that this was to be the easy part and our journey at the Mater Mother’s Brisbane was only just beginning.

I admitted this quite early on: I was so naive. Walking in, experiencing those alarms and noises for the first time. Looking around feeling so new, while trying so hard to hold back the tears. I had no time to process things before I had researchers, lactation consultants, and specialist giving us information.

The normal pressures of motherhood were hitting me in the face; along with everything else we were facing with it. I’ll never forget our first kangaroo cuddle and getting to feel her warm little body against mine. The look in Jakes eyes seeing her on me. I felt in that moment, that everything would be okay. Everyone kept telling us about the roller coaster of NICCU and the ‘honeymoon’ period we would experience. However unfortunately for us, we didn’t get that.

On day two of her life, Matilda had a pulmonary hemorrhage and was intubated. Matilda was on high frequency and in extremely high levels of oxygen for a long period of time. Over the first 2 weeks Matilda required copious amounts of suctioning. She was on more medication than I have ever taken in my life, had long lines, drips and was so fragile. In true Matilda style she would refuse to breath and would need to be manually pumped with the neo puff.

These were the most frightening, yet relieving times; I knew our girl had fight and a hell of a lot of it. During those first few weeks she also had a large PDA that was not closing with medications; because of this her lungs were filled with blood and weren’t able to heal. In the gloomy future we knew a heart surgery was on the cards; after two and a half weeks we were told she would need the operation. This was the worst week of our lives. The same moment we were given this news, I told Matilda’s doctor that no matter what, I needed him to tell me what was happening through this whole journey; no matter how hard it would be to hear, I needed to know; and that he did.

Matilda underwent the surgery and our little girl was sick. Words straight from the Doctors mouth, she was the sickest baby in NICU at that time. He had to prepare us for the worst; she might not have made it. There was not one limb of Matilda’s that didn’t have something attached to it and there were more alarms than ever.

We were in a new room, with new faces and new nurses. I felt so much guilt inside that Jake hadn’t held her yet, I had three times and he hadn’t. What if something were to happen to her and he never got to experience that. That day, I allowed myself to fall to rock bottom. I allowed myself to think the worst. Looking back I’m so glad I let myself do that; from rock bottom, you can only go up. Not only Jake and I, but our little fighter too!

That same day one of our favourite nurses from Prem Med visited and said to me; as long as we keep fighting, keep talking, keep reading, keep touching, she will keep fighting.

Out of a lot of the words I’ve heard in here, those were the ones I needed to hear the most. I knew that if she was still hanging on, we had to hang on too! In those next few days we found positives. The slightest positives to some; but we made sure we had found them. "Matilda stayed in 40% oxygen today, she had her morphine weaned by 1 mic today, she was allowed 5ml of milk today". Anything positive, we would find it. In those following days Matilda had a blood transfusion, concerns of NEC, somewhere along the road Matilda broke her humerus, secretions like never before, but my God, did our girl fight!

Matilda then went on a 10 day steroid course to hopefully help her lungs (neonatal lung disease) develop. Although the steroids could potentially have long term affects; the short term outweighed them immensely. Jake got to have his first cuddles with her, and I felt a weight lift. Even though time was slow, the days went fast. NICU soon became so familiar and the nurses were our saving graces.

Of course like anything in life, we’ve had tough times. Not necessarily just with Matilda; but in trusting people with Matilda. There were nights I felt strange. But 98% of the time, I trusted these nurses more than anyone I ever have before; after all I’m trusting them with my daughters life. The amount of times people tell you, it’ll be okay and they are trained; it is so hard, let alone unnatural, leaving your baby in someone else’s hands, every single night. I have found friendships in nurses that may not be significant to them; but have honestly helped me get through some of the toughest moments.

We’ve had one particular nurse, who wouldn‘t be much older than me who would always take time to chat to us. Even on days she wouldn’t have Matilda, she’d check on us and make sure we are okay. She pushed Jake and I to get in and do things and to gain confidence. I am so thankful for so many nurses, but this one in particular.

Around Christmas time was when my love for the nurses grew even stronger. They made this difficult time so much more bearable for all of us, and what we needed to remember these nurses weren’t home with their families but they made our day so special. My family surprised Matilda and I with a visit for Christmas. Matilda gave us all the best Christmas present of all and was extubated after 5 weeks and put onto CPAP. In the back of my mind I’ve had the constant fear that Matilda would end up back on the ventilator; it’s not me being negative, it’s legitimately me fearing for her. I knew if that happened, we were in trouble and it wasn’t going to be a good conversation to have, but I try to keep it in the back of my mind, knowing it still could but hoping for the best.

She was making some serious progress and went from CPAP to high flow and then to low flow. We were having exciting new experiences like first baths, weigh days and first nuzzles, although again in true Matilda style she wasn’t ready for plans to be made for her. She jumps between high flow and low flow and is great at showing us when she isn’t ready or is being pushed to far. She’s had an ENT scope down her nose which showed us she has severe reflux, Laryngomalacia and left vocal cord palsy. But like everything else, our girl will keep fighting.

Matilda’s doctor became my saving grace. If he was not worried I felt myself ease the slightest. He always communicated issues and always explained his decisions. He made us feel that he genuinely cared for her. I won’t ever forget him and what he’s done for our family. During the time here we’ve seen people enter the room to visit their baby for the first time and explode into tears. this takes us right back to that time. We knew in those moments those people needed time. They didn’t need anyone telling them it was going to be okay. They needed to get through it on their own and in their own time, as we had.

Weeks kept passing by and Matilda was growing strong. We reached 50 days, reaching new weights, and celebrated with everyone in our NICU room. We helped others celebrate their milestones because we knew even the smallest of things to people on the outside of these doors, meant so much to the people inside.

And like anything in life, there is always a silver lining: I've had time to recover from surgery. Jake and I have got to know Matilda from watching and learning her cues. And finally growing closer than we ever thought we could to our families. The support they have given us has been amazing.

 As the prospect of going home started to be spoken about more, my anxiety grew. We knew we would be taking her home on oxygen and we would have a lot to watch out for. This situation is all I've known for motherhood. I’ve always had a monitor telling me she’s okay, I have had nurses to support me and family to help. I’ve been questioning myself whether people will understand that I won’t want visitors and I won’t want anyone touching her for the risks that may come with it; understanding the trauma that we’ve all had. I guess for that I just have to trust that everything will be okay, whilst we still have so far to go.

Whilst our NICU journey isn’t over yet, it was time for me to reflect while I have the time, to see how far she’s come in these 70 days. We have grown so close to the nurses and found friendships with the people around us. If you haven’t seen yourself or someone else in this situation, you wouldn’t know the severity of it; it’s another world. A world I wouldn’t wish upon anyone. And in this place you need to remember, things could always be worse.

Even in the tough days get up and fight. We can see clearly, the family and friends who mean the most to us and have helped us do just that and provided constant support. These family and friends that maybe don’t know how hard this is, but still check on us and support us in unbelievable ways. They’re the ones we’ll hold closest and won’t ever compromise. To the people who haven’t been there like we thought you would: we understand that you don’t know how hard this has been, and we hope you never will.

A quote to leave on, that has stuck with me about our little girl:

“It’s not the size of the person in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the person.”

My God, Matilda, you have fought harder than most adults will in their entire life. You’re my world; don’t give up!

Love,

Fellow NICU Mumma Megan

PART TWO - The Power of Resilience 

In my classroom I would always have well-being lessons to try and encourage students to understand and start showing resilience. I would spend countless lessons trying to help them brainstorm, understand and break down situations; and most importantly understanding what it actually means to be resilient! The crazy thing is though; until this journey I don’t think I even knew.

Resilience isn’t necessary something that needs to be taught. Instead, it’s something that needs consistent practice. However on the rare occasion a child can be born with more resilience than most adults; and one of these rare children is Matilda!

Well here we are, more than 100 days in. 100 times stronger, 100 times more diligent and 100 times more in love with our girl!

On the 27th of February Matilda reached the huge milestone of fighting in NCCU for 100 days. Our little family have had a crazy few weeks since my last post. I have felt an overwhelming sense of support from people I hadn’t connected with in years who are following our story. People who are now a part of our little village of people; fighting and encouraging our little girl!

Since our last post, Matilda has grown so much and is now 4kgs. That’s almost 4x her birth weight. She was moved from the Cardiac Surgical rooms and transferred to special care. This was daunting for Jake and I as we were leaving our familiar safe zone again, our area that we’d been in for 10 weeks. However, with mixed emotions, we knew it was such a huge step closer to going home. At this point Rockhampton hospital had been contacted and we were waiting on travel and a bed. Each time we got close to going home, we decided not to tell anyone just in case things fell through.

Luckily we didn’t.

In the days waiting for the transfer Matilda’s strider became significantly worse. I requested an ENT review sooner then planned. From this, they did another bedside scope which showed her Laryngomalacia had become significantly worse. This meant that they needed to operate sooner then originally thought. On this same day I became agitated - I knew she wasn’t okay, that something was off with her, and my concerns led our paediatrician to review. Matilda was put back onto high flow as she was having difficulty clearing C02 which progressed into working extremely hard to breathe... Again. Because of this, we were moved back up to card surg. From there, a surgery date was set and we had to sit tight until theatre.

Matilda went in for her surgery on the 21st Feb. Two surgeries in under three months of age. Our BIGGEST fear was that she would need to be intubated for a period of time after. Well, it was more than a fear - it was a legitimate horror. Dread. Because Matilda was intubated for so long before (5.5 weeks) it has remained in the back of our minds the horror of this; and what if she ended up back there and the machine had to breathe for her? I regret going in to see Matilda straight after her surgery as she remained intubated. As soon as I saw her in that state again it took me straight back to before. But our resilient girl soon let the nurses know she wanted the tube gone 40 minutes after (for anyone who isn’t sure about this intubation process, this simply meant she wanted to breathe on her own and not have the machine do it for her). She recovered so well from the surgery and remained on high flow for a week after. Her feeding improved drastically and each day she became more alert.

Each day in NCCU started to drag out. I knew this could only mean one of two things: we had been there too long, or leaving was approaching. Now I realise it was a combination of both. During this follow up time I continued “trying” to breast feed; something I wanted us to have so badly. Unfortunately Matilda struggled with this, so we began using bottles. At this point my milk supply had almost completely dropped off due to stress.

Can I tell you, this was one of the most disheartening things for me. As great as it was (everyone told me) that I could pump for over 100 days and provide her with breast milk that entire time, it is another thing I am now grieving. Don’t get me wrong, I am unbelievably thankful I was able to provide for her through the tough times... However, I now feel so hurt that this was/is another thing I didn’t get to experience with Matilda. And that hurts. However at the end of the day she copes better with a bottle, drinking formula and gaining weight. What else could I ask for? The scenarios we were facing now were different to before but still as frightening.

On the 25th of February Matilda yet again showed us her resilience and had her feeding tube removed.

Our paediatrician began to arrange our transport back to Rockhampton and the prospect of going home was right in front of us. However each time we didn’t get our hopes up, as those who know NCCU; things can change in the blink of an eye. And that they did.

Our paediatrician was reluctant to send Matilda home with her strider the way it was and prepared us to stay in Brisbane for another 3 months living in our accommodation with Matilda. Disheartened at first, I soon snapped myself out of it as I knew there were families right next to us that would do anything to even get out of there.

We celebrated Matilda’s 100 day birthday with some of the greatest people we know, and prepared for “rooming in.” Rooming in gives families that have been in NCCU the opportunity to stay in the wards for 2 nights with Matilda to prepare us for “home” whilst still having nurse observations every 6 hours. The home oxygen was arranged for us as Matilda will need to be on oxygen for quite some time. Those two nights went fast and soon enough we were heading outside.

Leaving NCCU that last time was the most intense feeling. I was excited; but so unbelievably scared. It was us now, no one else, us. Let me set the scene a little for you; NCCU is a place where there are constant, and I mean constant, alarms, monitors, observations, doctors, specialists and nurses. So going from that to just us was insane. We also had to leave behind some people we now consider friends, and leaving them to continue their battles. Some of these incredible people are still in NCCU to this day, way past their 100 days, and still fighting! I know that we’ll be friends for a lifetime because we’ve been through hell and back together.

I know now, it was me who needed to step up and show some resilience to begin our new chapter.

We got to step outside for the first time with Matilda. The first moments we spent with her outside those doors were amazing, and something that we had built up in our minds for so long. Something that we questioned we’d even get to do at one point. Rewind the past four months to us sitting in the cafe watching families leave with there babies every single day. I would cry almost every time hoping that one day it would be us. And there we were.

During our first week of living at hospital accommodation the Coronavirus started to become a significant problem. Anyone that knows me well knows that my mind spirals at the best of times, so having something else to be worried over was not good for me. In that first week out the virus was growing rapidly and closer. It is hard living in the city as we couldn’t go outside without seeing 50+ people. We couldn’t just get fresh air without coming into contact with someone and at this point I just knew I had to keep Matilda safe. So I decided to contact our paediatrician to see how he felt about us going home. He agreed that the virus was going to grow rapidly and Matilda was vulnerable. He asked if our ENT doctor could review and make the call.

Then on that same day we got the all clear to go...

So, surprise to those who don’t know- we’re home!

However in the most polite and respectful way - there’s a reason we didn’t want people to know. We need to ensure Matilda is safe. This means we simply cannot have any visitors in our home. It’s hard to explain to people that just because we’re home, doesn’t mean we are out of the wood work. Matilda’s lungs are still so underdeveloped, which makes her even more susceptible. If she was to get a common cold, it could put her in a very serious condition. So we have to be extremely cautious and protective.

We’ve been talking a lot lately about this situation and what we’ve been through. And we have asked ourselves: if someone we knew went through something similar how we would help? Because it’s funny - being “here” you know you have so much support around you; yet feel so alone. We know that you cannot tell people “everything will be okay,” we know you cannot fix any problems and we know you cannot take away any of the pain.

But what we do know is in NCCU you don’t have a choice on dealing with situations that arise. When people ask “how are you guys doing it?” It’s simple: you do what you have to do because you have no other choice.

You have to build your resilience to new limits and push forward, hoping for the best.

As Yasmin Mogahed once said: “Resilience is very different than being numb. Resilience means you experience, you feel, you fail, you hurt. You fall. But, you keep going.”

Our new reality is scary, but so exciting. We cannot believe we have our beautiful girl home with us. I get to lay next to her and watch her sleep, I get to be there every single moment. I’ll do anything to protect her and keep her safe.

And whatever the future holds for us, I know with all of our resilience put together, we’ll be okay.

I’m going to say goodbye for now and thank you so much for the support you have given our family through this tough time. Those of you who are still on the “inside,” know we think of you every single day, are cheering from afar for all those little milestones and are comforting you in the days you can’t seem to find a win. To our family and friends here at home: we cannot wait to share our little girl with you all, but for now we’re safe in our little bubble and will be staying here for a long while.

All my love,

Megan

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How to bath your baby 

Bath time is a great time to bond, distraction- free with your baby as they enjoy the relaxing sensation of the warm water on their skin. 

It can also appear to be a little daunting for first time parents, wondering if the water is too hot or too cold, what is the correct way to hold their baby to ensure you have a secure grip, what products to use on their delicate skin etc.  

So we have created this video and blog based upon midwifery advice to help answer these questions and more, so you can both relax enjoy your bath time experience together.

Beyond the health and emotional benefits, bath time with your baby also offers many cognitive and developmental benefits thanks to the 4 senses which are engaged during this special time including sight, smell, hearing and touch. It’s also the perfect opportunity to engage one-on-one with your baby to create beautiful childhood memories.

Safety is paramount when bathing your baby. It is important to:

• Never leave your baby unattended during bath time.
• Avoid using slings / seats in the water as having your baby in your arms in the water ensures your baby is ALWAYS with you.

Start by creating a safe, warm and comfortable environment for you and your baby. The temperature of the room should be warm and free from cool drafts. Before you begin, ensure you have everything you need to wash your baby within arm’s reach. You will need:

• A clean towel
• Fresh set of clothing
• A new nappy
• Face washer, cotton wool ball / sponge
• Natural Baby Wash & Shampoo and  Natural Baby Moisturiser (Shop Here)

Products

Your baby’s skin is a unique structure and is much more sensitive than adults. Therefore, when choosing skincare - it is important to make an educated decision based on the ingredients, additives and any other potentially harmful chemicals contained within the products. Our 99.9% Natural products are made using the highest quality Natural & Certified Organic Ingredients are FREE FROM:

• Soap
• SLS
• Parabens
• Formaldehyde
• Petrochemicals
• Perfumes or Synthetic Fragrances

STEP 1

Depending upon your baby’s age, you can either choose to bath them in a bathtub or clean sink. Keeping in mind that bathtubs are much lower than sinks, which may cause strain on your back particularly in those early months.  

Sinks are an ideal position when bathing newborns, as it allows you to stand at the optimal height eliminating the need to lean down.  It doesn’t need to be full, just enough to cover their back. They can float in this position, in your arm with a warm washer over their belly to keep them warm.

If using a bathtub, you only need to fill enough to allow your baby’s back to be covered whilst laying in your arm. Ensuring that the water is at the optimal temperature, which is Body temperature – aim for around 37 °C - 38°C degree (100 F) and slightly cooler for newborns at 36 °C.

To check the water temperature, you can use either your wrist or elbow or a bath thermometer.

As your baby’s skin is more sensitive than adults, it is important that you swirl the water around the tub or sink prior to testing. This ensures that there are no warm or cool patches, prior to placing your baby into the water.

STEP 2 – WATER TEMPERATURE & GRIP

Begin to wash your baby by gently placing them in room temperature water.

Rest your baby’s head on your forearm, securely holding them under their opposite arm to ensure you have a good grip. This position allows you to hold your baby comfortably, whilst ensuring that your baby will not move away in the water.

STEP 3 – WASHING YOUR BABY

Newborn – 4 weeks

It is advised not to use any products on your baby’s skin during the first 4 weeks of life. This is due to the fact their skin delicate skin is still developing. However, as our Natural Coconut Baby Wash & Shampoo is made using 99.9% Naturally derived plant- based ingredients, you may of course choose to place 1 pump of our product into the water and swirl it around their bathtub. This will not only gently cleanse their skin and hair, but it will also provide a safe natural coconut scented bath which will gently cleanse and nourish their delicate skin. This decision if completely at the discretion of yourself on what you feel is best for your baby. 

Newborn – 4 Weeks+

From around the age of four weeks, you can choose to continue to use water alone, or our Natural Coconut Baby Wash & Shampoo by:

• Pumping the product into their bathtub under running water to create a fun and relaxing bubble bath experience.
• Pump the product onto a washcloth / sponge.
• Pump the product into your hands and mix with water to create a lather and apply directly onto your baby’s skin and hair.

It is important you avoid your baby’s eyes and mouth, and ensure you rinse all product from your baby’s skin and hair using either your hands, a clean face washer or sponge, prior to removing them from the bath.

1. Begin by washing your baby’s eyes from the inner corner to the outer corner, using a clean washcloth or cotton ball.
2. Then proceed to clean the rest of your baby’s face and hair proceeding down, gently cleaning their neck, tummy, arms, underarms and all creases.
3. If your baby still has their umbilical cord, make sure you just wash around it and pat it dry when finished.
4. Once you’re done with washing the upper part of their body, move onto washing between their legs. It is important to know that your do not need to separate the labia of little girls or the foreskin of little boys. Just washing over the area will be fine.
5. Continue down their body washing between their groin, knees, and their feet and toes.
6. If you feel comfortable to do so, now is a good time to turn your baby onto their belly to let them kick around with their head up out of the water at all times. Use this time to carefully wash their back and bottom.

IMPORTANT: It is very important to have correct grip to ensure you have full control of your baby at all times, so their head always remains securely out of the water and safely in your grip so that can’t ever slip out. Remembering baby’s skin can be extremely slippery when wet, particularly when using wash on their skin. So extra care must be taken if you choose to bath your baby in this position.

7. Wash all product from their skin with water prior to removing them from the bath.

STEP 4 – POST BATH MOISTURISING YOUR BABY

When removing your baby from the bath its important to maintain a warm and comfortable environment. Note that the temperature of the bathroom should ideally around 25°C. Ensuring you have a flat surface prepared with a clean dry towel to place your baby in immediately after the bath to dry them off completely and ensue they are nice and warm.

• Maintain contact at all times so they don’t roll away
• Dry all creases including their hair
• Apply moisturiser to their skin by ensuring you pump the product into your hands to warm it first prior to applying to their skin. Moisturising as soon as you remove them from the bath helps to lock in moisture and re-hydrate the skin.
• A full body massage is a great idea, particularly prior to bedtime to help with relaxing your baby.

How often should I bath my baby?

A common question asked by most new parents is how often their baby should be washed? The answer is -  it is entirely up to you as their parent. Baby's don't 'need' bathing every day, as they don't really getting dirty - and they are also being cleaned with each nappy change in the areas which do. So choosing to bath your newborn 2-3 times a week is enough to keep them clean.  

But if your baby enjoys their bath and you wish to bath them daily as part of their bedtime routine - that is also completely your decision as a parent to do what best for your baby. Keeping in mind that their skin can be quite dry in their first few weeks of life, so moisturising after each bath is a great way to help keep their delicate skin hydrated and prevent it from drying out.

Generally at around the 4-6 week mark, many parents like to begin incorporating bath time as part of a night time routine. But again, this is completely at your discretion, as all baby's are different and its important to do what works best for you both.

Shop our range of Natural Coconut Baby skincare products here.

DISCLAIMER:The information provided has been prepared for general information purposes only. It is not intended to be relied on as a substitute for professional advise, and has not been prepared for any specific person.

Information contained within this video should be discussed with your childcare professional before making any decisions or taking any action.

Do not disregard professional medical advise or delay seeking such advise because of something you have seen or heard in this video.

ChamonixRain Organics or the midwife featured in this video, are not responsibly for any loss or injury suffered by you or a third party in relation to any of the information provided within this video.

To prevent any water related accidents when bathing your baby, constant care and supervision must be taken at all times. Which is the sole responsibility of the carer or adult. Therefore, to the fullest extent of the law ChamonixRain Organics disclaims all liability in relation to information and content within this video and blog content which is the sole responsibility of the person(s) bathing their baby/child.

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