FREE!

AUGUST 2013

How important is

Your birth to you?

Your Free Parenting magazine in the hawkesbury

THE PREGNANCY ISSUE

True story - “I dIdn’t

know I was pregnant

untIl I gave bIrth”

Photography know

how - taking pictures

of your bump

All about baby

showers

Handmade and quality children’s products

Mention this ad to

receive $5 off any

purchase in July or

August

www.angelbabes.com.au www.facebook.com/myangelbabes

Fabric dolls

Quality gift items

Plush toys

Baby and toddler clothing

Contents

Special Features

10 20 2224

26 27

Coping with Loss Hospital packing list Games for Dad Taking beautiful photos of your baby bump For a Laugh How to throw the perfect baby shower

4

August 2013

Regulars

Letter from the Editor Monthly Recipe - Lemon Meringue Pie Ask a nurse - questions from readers Your Story - I didn’t know I was pregnant until I gave birth Make a change Business Directory Kid’s fun Community Noticeboard

5 11

13

16

19 28 30 32

Articles

Making Dad feel special during pregnancy How important is your birth? Business ideas for Stay at Home Mum’s (or Dad’s) What to expect when every pregnancy is a different story

8

12 14

23

* Cover photo and photo page 4 and 9 is by Louise Blake Photography

Small Steps Parenting Magazine

www.smallstepsparenting.com

www.facebook.com/smallstepsparenting

Letter from the Editors

Dear Reader,

Although this magazine is new, we excitedly look forward to the

creation of each month, the fun putting it together and the input from all

the amazing people in our community who want to have a say.

This month we are doing a pregnancy special. Pregnancy can take on

many forms for many people… it can a surprise, a much yearned for

miracle, a time of pain and heartache for those who have lost or a re-

minder of what may never be. We hope that this issue can meet you

where you are at, sensitively and gently.

As mother’s ourselves we can share the joy, the heartache, the excitement

and the pain that can come with this season in life.

Pregnancy can also bring with it a huge change in our lives regarding

work decisions, finances and even living arrangements.

In this issue we have tried to bring a variety of articles to cover some of

the areas that might interest you during this season.

We would also like to welcome Oliver Cadet

to the world. Oliver was born to our Promo-

tional Manager Lauren on the 11th July. Con-

gratulations to Lauren and her husband James

for your perfect little miracle!

Once again we would love to hear from you.

We appreciate your kind words, comments

and ideas.

Julie-Anne England

Bears Of Hope Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support provides leading support and exceptional care for families who experience the loss of their baby. We seek to provide crucial information and embrace families during their difficult time of loss, and beyond. There are two key elements to our program that guide families through their choices when saying Hello and Goodbye to their much loved baby. Families receive a Bear Of Hope donated by another bereaved family. This allows the donating family to give their child’s brief life a purpose and lasting legacy, whilst filling the empty arms of another family as they walk out of the hospital without their baby. It reinforces the understanding that they are not alone, and that there is an existing community of support. Families also receive extensive information, either in printed or online format, to help them make decisions and memories in hospital, during the memorial and beyond. Our Beyond the Bear support is unequalled by any other organisation. We

provide exclusive and invaluable support packages that include; a credible foundation of parent led and psychologist facilitated support groups, private online groups, phone and email counselling and annual community events that remember individual baby’s and recognize their parents love. Additionally we have a Hope and Healing Resource Library and issue a quarterly newsletter where parents have the opportunity to contribute. Bears Of Hope comfort, acknowledge, inform, empower, and guide families during their time of loss. As a registered non-profit organisation we are dedicated to the care of others and reinvesting our finances and resources to ensure Bears of Hope is the leading support for pregnancy and infant loss in Australia.

With hope,

Amanda Bowles

President/Co-Founder

P: 1300 11 BEAR

W: bearsofhope.org.au

A: PO Box 352

Stanhope Gardens NSW

2768

6

8

Making Dad feel special

during pregnancy

Show your partner that you value his

opinion when you go shopping for the

nursery or to pick out baby clothes. This

task is often left for the mum-to-be, but

these days dad’s are taking a more hands

on approach and enjoy choosing nursery

furniture or cute little baby clothes.

The day will soon approach when you

can feel your baby’s movements. Try to

help dad share the excitement as often as

you can by placing his hands on your

belly so he can feel too. Often his voice

will make the baby move so encourage

him to speak to your tummy and feel the

baby’s response.

Have some quality couple time and

decorate the nursery together. Plan

where you want the furniture and get his

help moving everything into place.

Make sure you don’t do any heavy lift-

ing.

Talk about the birth together. Many men

are anxious about the birth because they

don’t know how to deal with the thought

of you being in pain. Talking about this

and your plans allows him to share his

thoughts and prepare himself mentally

for what may or may not happen. If you

know that you will be booking in for an

induction or a caesarean, get as much

Keep a special diary with your partner

that allows him to express his thoughts

and feelings about this stage in life too.

It might be helpful to encourage him to

open up by asking him what he is strug-

gling with or his hopes for the unborn

baby. Use this as a special time for just

you and him, tell him how you are feel-

ing and let him know that you are grate-

ful that he is there for you during this

time.

Try to book all of your antenatal ap-

pointments so that he can come too. Be-

ing able to participate in the appoint-

ments, listen to the baby’s heartbeat and

watch the ultrasound will help dad to

feel like he is involved. Allow him to

ask questions during your appointments

and try to accommodate his wishes

wherever possible.

Men in general are “fixers”. They don’t

like to feel helpless when we are sad or

sick, instead they like to be able to “fix”

the situation. Allow him this role by

telling him about your cravings so he

pop out for that caramel ice cream you

can’t stop thinking about or ask him to

run you a bath after an especially tiring

day. Use this time to allow him to feel

useful and show him how thankful you

are. Remember not to be too demanding.

Pregnancy is an exciting part of becoming a parent but often leaves Dad feeling a bit

left out. While you deal with morning sickness, heartburn, frequent bathroom trips

and experience the joy of feeling your baby move, he is wondering where he fits into

it all. With that in mind here are some ways that you can help Dad to feel special and

included during this season.

information on the subject as you can in

advance to give him a head’s up.

Have a couple’s shower. Long gone are

the days where everything baby is for

the woman. The new trend these day’s is

a couples shower where he can invite his

friends as well as you inviting yours.

Have some games planned to interest the

guys and maybe allow a couple of beers.

(See our baby shower article on page 27)

Do childbirth classes together. These

classes will allow you to discuss ques-

tions as a couple and allow you to learn

a bit more about the birth process. Prac-

ticing breathing techniques and teaching

your partner some massage to use during

labour will allow him to feel a little

more in control when the time comes.

Lastly, plan some couple only dates or

even a weekend away before the baby

arrives. Life will change a lot once the

baby arrives and couple only time will

be harder to plan for.

During this amazing time of pregnancy

remember to acknowledge that this time

is just as much about your partner, show

him that he is just as big a part of this

and be sympathetic to his feelings too.

Tahlula’s Eclectic Bazaar

Mention this

ad for 5%

discount on

your next

purchase

See us every Sunday at the Windsor

Markets outside Simons Cafe

Handmade

Vintage

Retro

Upcycled

Recycled

Unique

www.tahlulaseclecticbazaar.com

Phone Liz: 0418 664 227

10

Coping with Loss

Pregnancy can be an extremely joyful event

in a woman’s life but it can also be a time of

pain and loss. For any woman who has lost

a child through pregnancy or given birth to

a stillborn, the pain can be indescribable.

Many woman who lose children through

miscarriage often feel isolated and unable to

talk through their pain as it is often dis-

missed by the people closest to them for

various reasons. Firstly people who have

not experienced the pain of losing a child

during pregnancy often do not understand

the extent of the grief or they may not know

how to act towards you after the loss.

It is important to realise that your feelings

need to be acknowledged. Feeling various

emotions such as anger, loss, sadness, dis-

belief and guilt are completely normal.

but still painful and a person experiencing

grief needs support. If grief is not recog-

nised and acknowledged, it can fester and

have a detrimental effect on a person’s

health and well-being.

With the loss of a baby comes the pain of

losing all of that expectation of the future of

the child. It is often compounded by the fact

that there is often a nursery already organ-

ised, clothes and toys they had been given

or bought and excitement looking forward

to the milestones as the child grew.

Prepare yourself and be more gentle with

yourself during times when

this pain may be exacer-

bated. These times may

include the actual due date

of your baby, the baby’s

birthday, holiday seasons

such as Christmas and

Easter when family is likely

to be around or even watch-

ing close friends become

pregnant or have their own

children.

There are many things you can do to help

yourself deal with the pain of your loss:

Stay connected to family and friends

and use support groups if you can.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Stay healthy - a good nights sleep, some

exercise and some good healthy food

will all make a difference to your gen-

eral well being.

Manage your stress - get help where

you can to lighten your workload. Also

take time for yourself for some relaxa-

tion.

Make time for some enjoyable activi-

ties. Taking your mind off your pain

now and then can make it seem more

manageable.

If you know someone who is struggling

with loss you can help by letting them know

that you are there for them. Listen to them

and what they are going through and en-

courage them to get help if they feel stuck.

If you or a loved one is dealing with this

kind of pain it is important to allow for the

normal grief period but be aware of the

situation turning into depression.

If you or a close friend or family member

are struggling don’t be afraid to seek help.

For more information contact Beyond Blue

at www.beyondblue.org.au or 1300 224 636

Would you like to see your recipe featured here? Go to our

webpage or facebook and share your favourite recipe with us.

11

Monthly Recipe

Lemon Meringue Pie Ingredients:

1 ½ cups plain flour

125g butter, chopped

2 tablespoons icing

mixture

2 ½ tablespoons iced

water

1. Sift flour and icing sugar into large bowl. Rub the butter into the flour mixture with

your fingertips until it looks like fine breadcrumbs.

2. Add water and use a knife to stir until a dough forms. Bring the dough together with

your hands. Turn onto non-stick baking paper and roll out to 5mm thickness. Use

pastry to line a 23cm pie dish. Cover pastry with baking paper. Rest in fridge for

thirty minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 180°C. Fill the lined dish with pastry weights. Bake in oven for

fifteen minutes. Remove paper and pastry weights and bake for a further 15-20 min-

utes or until golden. Cool completely.

4. For lemon filling, combine the corn flour, water, lemon juice and half the sugar in a

saucepan. Stir over medium heat with a whisk for 4 minutes or until mixture boils

and thickens. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, for another minute. Remove

from heat. Whisk in butter and egg yolk. Transfer to a bowl and cover with cling

wrap. Place in fridge for three hours or until completely cool.

5. Preheat oven to 190°C. Beat egg whites in a clean bowl with an electric beater until

soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar until the mixture is thick and

glossy.

6. Spread the filling onto the pastry base. Spoon over the meringue mixture and spread

to the edge of the pastry. Use a spoon to create peaks. Bake in oven for 5 minutes or

until meringue is slightly golden. Set aside to cool. Serve and enjoy.

Filling

1/3 cup cornflour

½ cup water

60g butter, chopped

4 eggs, separated

2 cups castor sugar

1 cup fresh lemon juice

You look down at the white stick in your

hand and stare disbelievingly at the two

little pink lines—yes, you are indeed preg-

nant! Now begins the next nine months of

your life where you begin to count in

weeks, photograph your growing belly and

succumb to unusual cravings.

As your bump begins to show, people be-

gin to ask questions - normal ones such as

“is it a boy or a girl”, “have you chosen a

name”, or “how long till your due date”?

Or more personal questions such as “What

kind of birth are you planning?”

That brings me to the huge focus these

days that is the birth. No longer is it just the

arrival of a new baby but it is a whole

planned event. Water or home birth? Pain

killers or natural? Planned caesarean? Es-

sential oils…. Relaxing music… birthing

pools… doulas…. Birth support people….

And yes, even social networking! I mean

really! These days you know about every

contraction almost as soon as the mother

does with smart phones and social accounts

such as Facebook and Twitter.

So how important is the birth to you?

Growing up as the daughter of a midwife,

labour and birth was not a new topic to me.

I had always wanted to be a mum and the

whole pregnancy, labour and birth were all

part of the package for me. I wanted to

experience every moment. I actually

looked forward to giving birth one day, in

fact I often daydreamed about the moment

when my baby emerged and I got to see it

for the first time.

Then comes my actual pregnancy and I had

a perfect birth plan. Go into labour natu-

rally around my due date, go to my Mum’s

house and labour there, making use of the

hot tub, until I needed to go to the hospital,

then simply turn up at the hospital and push

for a bit and I would have my baby in my

arms. Could I have possibly had a more

different birth experience than what I had

planned! Nothing went the way I expected

and after the whole experience I struggled

for months afterward, feeling ripped off at

not getting the birth I had planned for.

Now fast forward another two years. I

am pregnant again and this time

around I vow to get the birth I

dreamed of. Never mind the fact that

birth is one of those things that no one

can control. After nine (extremely

long) months of waiting I finally start

contracting…. Long story short my

birth once again goes very different

from what I had planned. I once again

struggle with the fact that I didn’t get

to do it the way I had wanted.

I start to wonder how many women

feel the way I do about their births.

After asking many women about their

experiences I come to the conclusion

that regardless of the birth they ended

up having, women seemed more

How important is your birth?

12

Ask a Nurse...

QUESTION: If my mother had a particular type of birth, am I

likely to have the same?

Pregnant women are often concerned that if their mother had a

difficult birth that they may also.

While a woman can inherit a certain shaped pelvis which can

cause a problem when she births her baby, every person is an

individual and does not necessarily follow in the footsteps of

her mother or other close relatives.

If you are worried about any aspect of your pregnancy or birth,

talk it over with your midwife or health care professional.

This answer has been supplied by Ruth Bosanquet who is a

registered midwife. If you would like one of your questions

answered please send us an email or contact us on our face-

book page.

13

dissatisfied with their births when they felt

disempowered or out of control with the

way it proceeded. Birth could not be

planned and it was often completely unpre-

dictable.

Many women also felt a pressure regarding

their births from people around them.

Women felt pressured from partners,

mother’s, mother’s in law, sisters, friends

and even themselves to birth in a certain

way. If their mother’s gave birth with no

problems it was assumed they would have

no problems. Friends would convince them

to get epidurals straight away, sister’s

would tell them about the danger of pain

relief for the baby, mother’s in law would

recommend a caesarean section to avoid

bladder problems down the track. There is

also the pain tolerance factor…

women who gave birth without pain relief

often pride themselves on their victory and

may look down on others who didn’t or

couldn’t do the same.

Where did birth become so much more

than the arrival of a new life? It isn’t im-

portant how our children get here and it

isn’t a competition about who was in la-

bour longer. It is simply the process of

bringing a special new miracle into this

earth.

I now look back on my births not with re-

gret but with a sense of contentment. I was

told that my babies would not survive preg-

nancy yet here they are healthy and safe.

I don’t doubt that, for some women, natural

childbirth provides an emotional boost that

is powerful and gratifying. But for me,

giving birth was the fulfillment of a life-

long wish to have a baby. I found that the

real adventure began when I became a par-

ent.

Business Ideas for Stay-at-Home

Mum’s (or Dad’s) Don’t want to go back to work after having a baby? Ever thought of

running your own business? Here are 15 business ideas that you can

run from your own home.

Kids Birthday Parties

Love entertaining children? How about

running a children’s party business? You

could provide characters for children’s

birthday parties such as fairies, pirates or

clowns or provide complete packages for

birthday parties including entertainment,

snacks, drinks and games.

Gift Baskets

Gift baskets are a highly popular choice

these days for baby showers, weddings,

birthdays and corporate events. You could

package chocolates, baby stuff, body prod-

ucts or even wines and cheese. Then sell

your goodies at local markets or online.

Laundry/Ironing Service

With many families now having both par-

ents working, everyday chores like laundry

often go overlooked. Offering a service that

washes clothes and delivers them back

clean and folded can have huge appeal.

Babysitting

Babysitting isn't just for teenager's

anymore. This kind of business may enable

you to bring in some extra income while

still looking after your own littlies. Start by

spreading the word at mother’s groups,

playgroup and with your neighbours.

Cleaning services:

For those of you who enjoy making things

shiny and new, a cleaning business could

be the thing for you. Technically you can’t

work from home but you can plan your

time around your partner’s schedule or

when your kids are at grandma’s house.

Errands:

This would be a good business for those

who love to help people and who enjoy

variety on the job. You could offer to do

things such as going to the post office,

picking up groceries, taking things to the

dry cleaning or even simple tidying up.

Personalized stationery

Who doesn’t love stationery? And what’s

better than regular stationery? How about

stationery with your name on it! Try start-

ing with a few products and finding your-

self a printer. Make some samples, ap-

proach a few schools or local businesses

and you can be in business in a few short

weeks.

Virtual assistant:

If you have a computer and a good internet

connection, why not try being a virtual

assistant. Market yourself to small busi-

nesses who are time poor and offer to or-

ganize emails, type up letters, post to social

media and even take phone messages.

Consultant:

If you have knowledge and experience in a

specific field why not consider becoming a

consultant? You could market yourself to

individuals who wish to enter the industry

themselves or to businesses as a trainer to

their employees.

Tutoring:

If you excel at a certain subject, you could

use that skill as a private tutor for students

of all ages. Advertise on university notice

boards, or in school newsletters. (Don’t

forget you will be required to pass a Work-

ing with Children check if your students

are under 18 years of age)

Pet sitting and walking:

If you love animals and enjoy being out-

side, this could be the perfect job for you.

Pets are usually left home all day alone

while people are at work but they are often

happy to pay someone to check up on them

and take them for a walk. Starting a job in

this area could be as simple as speaking to

some of your neighbours who have dogs or

putting a notice on a community notice

board.

Delivery service:

All you need is a vehicle and an ABN and

you are ready to get started as a courier.

Market yourself to businesses and provide

them with a schedule of what days you will

be available for pickup or delivery

(probably not the best business idea if you

have to stuff three kids into the car and

drive all over the country).

Event Planner

As long as there are people, there will be

events. Events take a lot of planning and

most of the time people don’t have the time

(or know-how) to organize these events.

You could work as a personal event plan-

ner such as wedding planner or you could

advertise to businesses to plan corporate

events such as conferences.

Translator: In a country as diverse as Australia, there

are many languages spoken. If you can

speak more than one language, interpreting

15

could be the job for you. This can allow

you some work variety by offering work in

areas such as hospitals or schools.

Elder caregiver:

If you are a people person why not consider

being an elder caregiver. This position can

be targeted at the elderly who are still able

to live on their own but require some day to

day assistance. You may offer your ser-

vices in driving them to appointments,

picking up groceries, walking their pets or

cooking simple meals.

If you run your own home business we

would love to hear about it for one of our

upcoming issues. One lucky business will

be chosen for a feature article where you

can talk about why you love your business,

the pro’s and con’s of running a home

business and what is special about what

your do. Email us on

info@smallstepsparenting.com

16

Your Story

Rose’s Story - “I didn’t know I was pregnant until I gave birth”

In October 2009, my husband and I de-

cided that it was time to stop birth control.

I started taking prenatal vitamins. My

body really struggled to regulate and

would ovulate two to three times each

cycle. In October 2010, I had some preg-

nancy symptoms. I took a test it seemed

like a faint positive but my period came a

couple of weeks later.

This happened again in December but

without a period, however, an ultrasound

revealed I still wasn’t pregnant. After that

time I decided I needed to lose some

weight, so for a few months I focused on

that.

We began trying again but with the same

thing happening over and over, I went to a

fertility clinic. They confirmed that I had

PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). I

was pretty much told that my weight was

causing the issues and if I lost some more

weight then we might be able to have a

baby.

My last proper cycle had been in May and

when my cycle didn't come in June, I

thought nothing of it. I was told that it

might disappear for a while till my weight

was under control. The weight loss was

going really well and now I had lost 25

kilos. I was very happy with the results

and felt the best I had in a long time and I

was sure my cycles would return soon. As

months passed I still felt great and had so

much energy. I was doing weights and

heavy exercise every day. Around No-

vember I started to experience what I

thought were gas pains. I went to the doc-

tor and was told it was probably IBS,

which is quite common with PCOS. So

life continued as normal and the move-

ments had seemed to settle down. I

thought maybe my IBS was improving

and maybe it was a sign my cycle would

arrive soon.

Around 2 am on Sunday the 10th March, I

felt some mild cramping. Around 8 am I

started getting pains, they were pretty

mild and mainly in my back. Then I real-

ised I was bleeding and was all wet.

The pains continued through the day any-

where from 10-20 mins apart. I assumed it

was my period arriving, as I was told it

would be quite bad when it did arrive due

to not having a cycle for so long.

By afternoon I had to breathe through the

pain, and by Sunday night, I couldn't get

comfortable while lying down and had to

switch positions constantly. At 5am Mon-

day morning, they were getting pretty

unbearable and I couldn't quite understand

why pain relief wasn't working. I had no

sleep whatsoever, and the pains seemed to

be getting closer together. I couldn't com-

prehend why it was so bad. I was sup-

posed to take the kids to school that morn-

ing, but by 7 am I realised there was no

way I would be able to. Thankfully my

husband was home and organised the

kids. I forced myself to get up to say ‘bye’

to them. At that point I could barely walk,

and was breathing very heavily with the

pain.

My husband told me he would go by the

chemist and get something stronger for

the pain. I dragged myself off to bed

where I began crying from the pain.

While I was counting down the minutes

for my husband to get back home with

some pain relief, I contemplated grabbing

a heat pack, but I just couldn't get up and

kept questioning why things were so bad.

When my husband came home he gave

me some pain relief and I begged him to

get me the heat pack.

The heat pack helped the most, and the

pain relief helped a little. My husband

mentioned going to the doctor. I was con-

sidering it and said if I was still like this

by the next day I would.

Things changed and I felt like I needed to

go to the toilet. I tried to push and nothing

was coming. The pushing feeling was so

intense and would not let up. I tried to go

back to bed, still with the intense pushing

feeling, I had to push along with it, it was

that strong. The pushing was very on/off

and I felt very confused with what was

going on. I was crying quite a bit at that

point, and questioning why it was so bad

and wishing it would just stop. Then all of

a sudden I felt something in my under-

wear then another uncontrollable push

happened on its own and I felt something

else.

I went to stand up and as I looked down I

saw something in the leg hole of my un-

derwear. The room was dark and I didn't

have my glasses on but what I saw was

not what I thought it would be. I heard a

muffled cry (it sounded like a cat crying).

I yelled out to my husband (he was in

another room) that I think I just had a

baby. He came in and saw the head. He

told me to go to my knees quickly. I did

and he caught the baby. I heard him say

“It's a baby boy just like you thought” (I

had always said the next child we had

would be a boy). I remember saying, “Oh

my god, I'm going to be on the news!”

He had tears in his eyes and I was in dis-

belief but also glad that the pain had

eased. I told him to call the ambulance,

and they talked him through with what to

do to keep the baby warm etc..

I tried to get him to take photo lol but he

didn't want to leave the baby. The baby

looked really good and was nice and pink

and was sucking his fingers happily. The

ambulance arrived about 20 minutes later.

They checked the baby over and organised

for my husband to cut the cord and keep

him warm. He weighed in at 3280 grams

and 51 cm long, with a head circumfer-

ence of 35.5 cm

We got to keep the scissors and the wrap

they used as a momento. We walked out of

the house to the ambulance while I held

my gorgeous boy. I can't even tell you the

feelings I had at that time, holding this

baby that I had longed for and he was just

here in my arms.

Looking back there was a time when some

of the movements I felt did resemble the

early movements of a baby moving but I

constantly reminded myself that it was

hormonal. There were never any big kicks

or anything like that. My belly never really

grew especially with all the weight I was

losing. I did have what we thought was

bloating, which is very common with

PCOS. But with barely any symptoms at

all, I was very sure I was not pregnant.

Especially with what the doctors had told

me.

I think to myself about what an absolute

miracle this baby is, and even though He is

now almost 3 weeks old, we are still in

some disbelief. He is truly amazing and is

the perfect addition to our family.

Your Story is a true story submitted by

someone in our community. If you would

like to share your story please send us an

email at info@smallstepsparenting.com

Submitted stories can be kept anonymous

if you prefer.

18

We would love to hear how you have helped someone in your community or hear how someone

has made a difference to you. Please write to us and share your story.

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 be aware of people who struggle with the cold this winter. With

rising costs of electricity many people are unable to afford heating.

So what can we do to help? Here are some of ideas:

Buy a warm blanket and give it to your nearest homeless shelter, elderly neighbour

or struggling family

Go through your wardrobe and take out your warm clothes that you haven't worn in a

while and give them to a charity like the Salvation Army

Pitch in with some other neighbours or friends to buy some warm clothes for the

children of a family who is in need

Make up a grocery hamper and give it to someone in need

Last month we asked you to write in and tell us about someone in your life who was

doing it tough. We are in awe of the responses from our community who wanted to

make a change.

Congratulations to Alicia A $50 Coles gift card from Angel Babes (see ad p. 3) and

A beautiful floral bouquet from McGraths Hill Florist is on its way to you

You were kindly nominated by Amy Nash who believes that you are a truly

amazing person and wants you to be acknowledged.

Amy, for your selfless nomination Jo.Co’s Hair Design have very generously

donated a FREE Shampoo, Cut & Blow-dry to pamper you.

19

Hospital Packing List

Hospital Bag

Pyjamas or nighty

Lots of underwear

Breast pads

Sanitary pads

Socks

Feeding bras

Pillow (if you want your own)

Some comfortable clothes - choose pants

with a soft waist band if you are having

a caesarean section

Toiletries

Slippers or shoes you can slip on with-

out bending over

Eye mask

Baby Bag

Nappies (at least 30)

3 or 4 outfits

Muslin wraps

Warm bunny rug

Nappy cream

Wet wipes

Singlets

Mittens

Socks

Hat

Partner’s bag

A book

A change of clothes

Swimmers if planning to hop

into birthing pool with you

Some snacks

List of people to call after

the birth

It’s an exciting time counting down to

the arrival of your new baby, however,

babies tend to come on their own sched-

ule. Apparently less than 5% of babies

arrive on their due date so it is best to be

prepared and have your hospital bags

packed and ready to go from around 34

weeks. Whether you are planning for a

natural birth or booking in for an elec-

tive caesarean it pays to be prepared for

whatever may occur. Small Steps have

put together this packing list for you to

help you get ready for the arrival of your

precious child.

You will need three bags for your stay -

a labour/delivery bag, a hospital bag for

your stay after the baby is born and a

baby bag with everything you will need

to care for your newborn. It’s also a

good idea to have a bag packed for your

birthing partner, so we included a list for

that too. Good luck on this amazing

journey!

Labour Bag

Birth plan

Antenatal card

Camera

An old shirt or robe to birth in

Slippers

Socks

Massage Oil

A book, iPod or laptop to pass time

Birthing ball

Hair bands

Chap stick

Snacks and drinks

Swimmers for birth pool or shower

Hospital Packing List You’re beginning to show with that gorgeous baby bump and thoughts are

now turning to the delivery. Are you prepared for the hospital? Here is a

convenient packing list to help you get ready for your precious arrival.

21 31

Your baby mugging photos…. In our July issue of Small Steps we showed you some of our own photos of the internet baby

mugging craze and invited you to share some of your own. Here are some of our favourites:

A big thank you to ...

Karla Kirch

Danielle Dillon

And Bubba Woof (for your dog mugging)

22

happy Father’s day dad! We decided that as it is Father’s Day coming up soon we would do a page specially for the

Dad’s out there. So grab yourself a soft couch and a pen and get thinking...

True or False—test your knowledge with these interesting facts (answers are at the bottom

of page 31)

1. The average age that children begin to use a microwave is seven.

2. A three year old boy’s voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant

3. Children tend to have their weight determined by their father

4. On average, a four year old child asks 200 questions every day

5. Watching television can act as a natural painkiller for children

6. In ancient Greece, children of wealthy families were dipped in olive oil to increase

prosperity throughout their lives

7. The great pharaoh Ramses II fathered over 160 children

8. Children’s kneecaps only start to turn bony at 3 years of age, until that they are

made of cartilage.

9. Children under the age of three are at the greatest risk for crushing or burning inju-

ries of the hand.

5 9 4

3 7

7 8 5 6 1

4 5 7

9 1

2 8 5

2 4 1 8 6

6 8

1 2 7

Sudoku - we know that everyone knows how to play Sudoku these days but just in case…

You need to get the numbers 1-9 in each row and column and also square. No numbers can

be in the same line more than once.

As I was growing up all I would hear were

stories about how mothers loved being preg-

nant! Or how they would do it all again be-

cause it was an amazing journey. I always

wanted to be pregnant and be able to feel what

these ladies had been saying they felt, so at

the age of 22 my husband and I decided we

would start trying for a baby. After 6 long

emotional months of countless pregnancy tests

I gave up. I figured it was not going to hap-

pen, but then one day I felt the need to take

another test, so I did my wee on the little stick

for what seemed the thousandth time and there

it was, the little faint line.

Immediately I was relieved and felt on top of

the world. “This is finally happening!” after a

trip to the doctor to confirm that I was 6

weeks pregnant, I went out and bought a little

pair of socks, My first baby things. And then

it all started, I was so excited to be pregnant,

but was so worried to lose this little miracle

baby. Thoughts were over taking me and it

was playing on my anxiety and depression.

With all the worry of getting to 12 weeks

pregnant (the safe zone) and getting through

what seemed to be "all day” sickness I was

struggling to enjoy pregnancy for what it was.

It wasn’t until 16weeks that I was able to

make the beautiful connection of what I was

creating, when my little monkey moved and

my husband and I felt it together. It was the

most romantic thing that has ever happened

to me and I have loved every little movement

since.

As my body was changing in ways I never

thought would even be possible I realised how

amazing this journey is, every part of my in-

sides was moving to accommodate this little

being. Although I must admit I don’t like

the thought of my stomach needing to be

moved so that there is room, as this caused

me a lot of heart burn. But the constant

movements of my child made everything

worthwhile, and the reassurance of seeing my

baby grow and improve on the scheduled

ultrasounds made each month amazing.

If there is one piece of advice that I could

give anyone who is expecting or trying to

conceive, just take each day as it comes.

Every pregnancy is different, I had more lows

than highs and I will never know if it was

because I was expecting too much from this

journey or that is just my pregnancy. Some

days you will feel so amazing and on top of

the world, I supposed that’s the glow! And

there are some days where it’s hard to even

look at your changing body in the mirror and

you’re wondering where is the ‘’supposed

glow’’ you’re meant to be feeling….

Written by Lauren Cadet

23

What to expect when...

Every pregnancy is a different story

24

Taking beautiful pictures of your baby bump

Once upon a time, (and I’m showing my age

as I remember this well), pregnancy was

viewed as `not the best time to be taking a

picture of a woman’. I even remember the

days when maternity photography was a

fairly new concept and some of the older

generations talked of how distasteful it all

was. Well, thank goodness those days are

over. Pregnancy is a miracle of life and as a

photographer and mother (currently pregnant

with my second), I believe it is a beautiful

season where images of your changing body

and growth are a must to record and these

pictures not only document but evoke

memories of the whole experience – price-

less, cherished moments.

These days it’s easy to photograph and share

our special moments, I myself am obsessed

with my iphone camera and love using it in

conjunction with good ole instagram and

facebook along with some of the great arty

filters you can apply. With that in mind I

want to give you some tips toward capturing

your own creative maternity pics.

Settings

Think of places that are special to you -

maybe they have a story to tell or offer a

unique experience to you at this time.

Photographing the natural beauty of a

woman who’s ready to bring new life into

the world and placing her in the majesty of

the great outdoors can be simply breathtak-

ing, but equally images at the home place

offer a delicate insight into the beautiful

private moments that have brought this baby

into existence.

Some of my favorite examples are near a

huge window with light streaming in. This

type of shot can also be captured on the

beach or at a park but a good tip is to go at

sunrise or sunset when the sun is lower in

the sky, that way you get a beautiful silhou-

etted shot.

A beach scape can be stunning with the

waves receding and advancing, or a set of

footprints etched into the sand with you

standing at the end of them: a great

tip for this shot is to get your photog-

rapher to shoot from down low.

A rugged bush type setting can be a

great earthy feel and allow you to

make the most of the textures, natural

colours and tones available. Shaded

areas are also a great spot for photog-

raphy if it is a particularly sunny/

glary day.

In front of a mirror can add another

dynamic to your image and why not

add a simple prop…..which leads me

onto my next tip!

Props

Adding a few props, a family heirloom,

baby’s bassinette, something to do with

baby’s gender/name etc can add a tender

personal touch but remember to keep the

props to a minimum. The focus is on your

belly and pregnancy.

Some of my favourite prop shots are shots

with the bassinette, in the baby’s nursery or

holding baby’s 1st blanket.

Flowers circling your tummy have an ethe-

real feel or holding a posie of flowers for a

little girl.

A simple shot of baby booties on the belly is

a lovely classic shot, the booty colour can be

according to the sex of the baby.

If this is your 2nd or so pregnancy you can

use people as props! Siblings hands on

tummy, or a simple kiss on the belly is really

special. Father holding you from behind is a

tender nurturing type shot.

Keep it personal

There are many more tips I could pass on to

you but having looked at locations and props

I think the next main point I need to make is

that you don’t have to stick to the tried and

tested methods of maternity photography, in

fact better if you don’t! The key is to experi-

ment, don’t be scared to be openly creative.

This is your story of pregnancy and only you

are going to draw on it for those memories

of the experience itself, so allow yourself to

think outside the box. Use documentary style

photography to capture what might seem

like the mundane but will evoke memories.

The pee test result, the foods you couldn’t

eat or that you craved, the tiredness etc.

It’s an exciting time and deserves to be cher-

ished, I hope I have inspired you in captur-

ing those treasure moments of the journey.

Written by Helen Wildman

Grapevine Photography

Calling all Creative Mum’s! We are giving one lucky reader the opportunity to win a gorgeous New Mum pack. This fantas-

tic prize pack includes everything you need to pamper yourself after the birth of your baby.

All you have to do is take a creative photo of your new child. Use your imagination and create

something fun. To go into the draw simply post your photo on our facebook page. Winner will

be announced in next month’s September issue.

25

For a Laugh! For a Laugh! Definitions by children ~

Naïve person: Anyone who thinks you

are interested when you ask how he is.

Cannibal: Someone who is fed up with

people.

Endless: The time it takes for others

to find out how wonderful you are.

Neighbour: A person who is out of

something.

Adult: A person who has stopped

growing at both ends and is now grow-

ing in the middle.

Efficiency: Getting someone to do the

job you hate.

Grandparent: One who knows that

spanking is unnecessary.

Egg: A day’s work for a hen.

Father : A banker provided by nature.

Helpless: The feeling you have when

your goldfish is sick.

Wrinkles: Something other people

have.

Etc.: A sign you use in writing to make

people believe you know more than

you do.

Nurse : A person who wakes u up to

give you sleeping pills.

Etiquette: To know which finger to

put in your mouth when you whistle for

the waiter.

Silence: Having nothing to say and

saying it.

Water Polo: What horses play in the

swimming pool

Friend: Someone who knows you well

and still likes you

Goblet: A small turkey.

Window Shopping: Buying new win-

dows for your house

Headlights: What the car driver uses

to blind oncoming drivers.

Raisin: Grape with a sunburn

Secret: Something you tell to one per-

son at a time.

Tailor: A person who does sew-sew

work.

Unabridged: A river you have to swim

across

Woe: The opposite of giddy-up

26

How to throw the perfect baby shower A baby shower is one of the things a women looks forward to during her pregnancy. It is

her chance to get together with her friends, show off her bump and receive some gorgeous

gifts for the new arrival. Here are some steps to creating and throwing the perfect baby

shower.

6. Make (or buy) invitations - use the cho-

sen theme as a starting point and buy invita-

tions that match or if you are feeling crea-

tive, try making your own.

7. Create a menu plan - also working with

your theme, plan food that works with the

décor. Try easy to make foods such as sand-

wiches, cakes and slices or maybe indulge a

bit and get it catered.

8. Decide on decorations - once again think

theme. Balloons, coloured napkins, a cake

to match… use your creativity (or get some

inspiration from our ebook).

9. Plan games (and prizes) - What baby

shower doesn’t have a few fun games? Try

games such as ‘Guess the belly measure-

ment’ or ‘Pin the sperm on the egg’.

Angel Babes offers a free ebook titled “101

Baby Shower Games” which you can get

for free simply by liking their Facebook

page if you need ideas. (See ad page 3)

Then choose some party favours such as

scented candles, chocolate bars or sweets

for the winners of the games.

Don’t forget to have a little ‘Thank you’ for

the guests as they leave such as a cupcake

or small chocolate.

Happy planning!

1. Set the date - after speaking with the

mum-to-be choose an appropriate date for

the baby shower. Don’t leave it too late in

the pregnancy just in case she has the baby

early. Usually 4-6 weeks before the due date

is perfect.

2. Set the budget - work out approximately

how much you can spend and who will be

helping you to plan. Work out areas where

you can save such as making the cake your-

self and hand made invitations.

3. Write a guest list - sit down with the

Mum-to-be and discuss who she would like

to be invited to the shower. Find out

whether she prefers the traditional “girl

only” event or if she would like the Dad-to-

be and his friends included too. Don’t forget

family member’s too.

4. Choose a theme - this is one of the most

fun parts of planning a baby shower. There

are so many fun themes you can choose

from for the perfect shower. You may like

to theme it based on the theme for the nurs-

ery, a specific colour (blue for boy or pink

for girl), an animal, something fun like a

high tea shower or even a pamper shower

where the girls can have their nails done and

do facials.

Small Steps has put together an ebook on

baby shower themes if you want some

more inspiration. Simply like us on Face-

book to receive your free copy. Themes

include menu plans and decoration ideas.

5. Choose a venue - this will depend on the

number of guests you wish to invite and

your budget. You may decide to host the

event in your own house or may even de-

cide to hire a hall or book a restaurant. 27

Business Directory Ross & Suzie

0412 454 566

Shazam Photography

www.shazamphotography.com.au Ph: 0416 957 592

Mention this ad for a FREE 8x12 print with each package purchased Art and metal

Sculptures

Commissions

Welcome

At Windsor Mall

Markets every Sunday

Contact Lisa 0416 030 584

tuttifruttibuffets@gmail.com

Perfect for

Weddings

Baby Showers

Parties

Restaurants, Hotels & Real Estate Schools & Childcare Centres

Pre-sale/End of Lease Cleans Domestic, Office & Builder Cleans

Window & Screen Cleaning

maz.cleaning4you@gmail.com

For all enquiries call Maria

0499 610 535

Glitter, feather and

coloured hair

extensions

Call Judy on 0431 975 123

www.facebook.com/myhairthatrocks

Parties

Formals

Weddings

See us at Windsor Mall Markets every Sunday

Business Directory

Advertise your

business here for as

little as $45 a month

Card classes

and kids craft classes

Contact Maryanne for more information

stampinwithmj@gmail.com

Or phone 0478 193 254

STAMPIN

UP…

With MJ

www.angelbabes.com.au

Kids wear

Gift ideas

Cute accessories

Baby Shower

Kids Fun!

Q. How do you make seven an even number?

A. Take the “s” out

Q. What dog can jump higher than a house?

A. Any dog - a house can’t jump!

Q. What’s black and white and makes a lot of noice?

A. A zebra with a drum kit

Q. What has four legs but can’t walk?

A. A chair!

Q. Why did the kid sleep with a ruler

A. To measure how long he slept

Q. Why did the grasshopper go to the doctor?

A. Because he felt jumpy

Here are some funny jokes to share with your friends -

Spot the difference… There are 7 differences between these two pictures, can you find them.

Colouring in...

Father’s day true or false answers

1. True 2. True 3. False - Fathers tend to determine the height of their child, mother’s their

weight 4. False - it is actually as high as 437 questions per day 5. True 6. False - this olive oil

dipping ritual was actually to keep them hairless 7. True 8. True 9. False - it is actually children

under the age of 6.

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

Noticeboard

34 34

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 advertisements 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

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

encouraged to exercise discretion while browsing the Internet. No part of this publication or the corre-

sponding website is to be copied or reproduced without permission.

Full page

advertising

from

only $260

per month

Half page

advertising

from

only $180

per month

Quarter

page adver-

tising from

only $120

per month

For affordable advertising packages, take this

opportunity to be a part of this quality local

magazine at Small Steps - call our office today to

plan your advertising!

Build Your Business today!

Download our Media Kit from our website or

request a copy on Facebook

Use your Qr code reader on

your smartphone or tablet

and scan this image to go

to our Facebook page.

39 39

Don’t miss next month...

Plus...join in the vote for our creative Mum competition

to win the new Mum’s pack.

Our baby issue

Specialising in family outdoor photography

Phone: 4577 9850

www.naturalfocus.com.au

View our latest work on Facebook at

www.facebook.com/naturalfocusphotography

Mention this ad

when you book in

August for your FREE

8”x12” print