When I was pregnant with Wilf his impending birth was something I thought about a lot. I knew the type of birth I wanted and I knew that unless complications arose I was going to do it my way. A great deal of my third trimester was spent lying in baths reading books like 'Spiritual Midwifery', 'Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering' and 'Three In A Bed'. I knew I wanted a homebirth, that I wanted to breastfeed, to co-sleep and to when possible babywear. After reading these books I thought I knew it all.
I attended NCT classes in order to get the reassurance I wanted for a natural delivery, to meet like minded people and to get Tom involved in the whole process. I was very lucky that our teacher was also involved in running Bristol's homebirth group and was very much on my level. I realise now that all classes vary and we were again fortunate enough to have a teacher that went through options such as whether your baby should have Vitamin K orally or injected after birth (we chose orally) or even not at all.
It was a surprise to me then when Wilf was born, had colic, wouldn't sleep for longer than half an hour and cried and writhed every evening. It was also a shock to me when breastfeeding did not come easily. I didn't know there were options such as cranial osteopathy for things like colic until my mum remembered a friend who swore by it. The osteopathy was a great help and I often wonder that I would never have known about it if it wasn't for this off chance.
Again when Wilf suffered vaccine damage after his 8 week checks I didn't know that delaying vaccinations or not having them was even an option. I couldn't find any real information on the side effects other than the standard NHS tick list and despite a A&E visit plus pictures of his swollen and rash covered face and body our local Dr refused to admit there was a chance of any side effects, simply saying 'lets see what happens at his next one'. Feeling hugely lost and concerned it was firstly my NCT teacher and then Eva from Born who guided me towards literature where Tom and I could make an informed decision. Where we found out that 10% of the UK do not vaccinate and that countries such as Japan only start their programmes at age two.
I've written before about my love for Born both here and here. One of the things I am always impressed with is that their shop isn't just about trying to sell as much as possible it's about making that experience rewarding, enjoyable and helpful. I know that all the products in their shop will have been tried and tested and only sold because they believe in them. I also love their attention to detail to making each customer feel welcome and appreciated, such as breastfeeding chairs where you will always be offered a glass of water and little lavender bags free to take away and run under your bath to aid sleep (hear that Wilf?).
Born has been running for 13 years now and have just this February launched a 'personal shopping service' called 'Your Baby Your Way'. This service is a chance for parents to receive a dedicated and comprehensive consultation with a senior sales person. The consolation is not only about helping you explore which items will help make the birth and early months as enjoyable as possible but their staff can help advice on health practitioners and support services.
Those with families wishing to buy something useful for them or the baby can also choose of a 'baby wish list' created especially for them.
Eva says “We know that new parents need support, and local practitioners can provide invaluable help and guidance throughout the pregnancy & birth. These are professionals who we’ve used either personally, or with whom we’ve built up a trusted relationship with over the years. Access to trusted practitioners recommendations such as Osteopaths, Hypno-birthing teachers and Breastfeeding Counsellors can make all the difference if they are needed”.
In addition, everyone that has a consultation will receive a free Aden+Anais muslin, and will be entered into our prize draw for the chance to win an exclusive natural baby hamper worth over £220*.
· A two hour personal consultancy can be booked by calling Born on 0117 924 5080 or via Borndirect.com. The cost is £50, which is refundable against any purchase you make. We suggest making the appointment as early in your pregnancy as you feel happy with.
· Available at any time during our store opening hours, including Saturday; you will be guaranteed a personal shopping slot with a senior sales person, or Wednesdays and Fridays 5-7pm, after the store has closed, at a liimited availability.
· We price match John Lewis and other bricks and mortar stores within a 20 mile radius of our stores.
· We will discuss any further purchases you may need to make closer to your due date, such as nursing bras, and provide you with a list for your hospital or birthing bag. We are happy to prepare these with you during the appointment, however you may wish to return to have your bra fitting closer to your due date.
· Included in the service is free delivery of items purchased during your appointment, so no need to worry about carrying anything home with you afterwards!
· *The prize includes: a fully dressed Little Green Sheep Moses Basket, a Serenity Star night light by Aden+Anais, a Swaddle Muslin by Aden+Anais, a choice of print for your nursery by Olliella, a nursery bedtime book by Barefoot Books, and a bottle of Earth Friendly Baby Bubble Bath. All customers that have had a consultation before the end of April, will get entered for a chance to win this fabulous prize.
Born have been kind enough to sponsor me to attend BritMumsLive this coming June. They were the first company I thought of when I considered sponsorship and I cant think of a company I would rather work with!
Laura - I find it really interesting when other counties have their vaccination schedules. They are all so different and I found the argument for the Japanese ones being at two due to the blood brain barrier not bein fully developed until then really compelling.