DaddyNatal

So, that's it... All training sessions completed. I am now ready to face the expectant dads of the world (well, Bromley) and tell them how they can go about helping support their partners during labour and birth.

FEDANT accrediation will follow once my portfolio is complete and I have taken a final exam, but for now, I'm able to "teach" as a student! Scary!

Poor V and LC have now got to sit through me running through the whole presentation over and over again while I practice getting my delivery style sorted. I think, by the time I'm finished, they'll both know how to give the class too! :)

I am excited about getting going now, I want to strike while the iron's hot and start making a difference to the dads in my local area. I live within the area of the UK's largest maternity services provider so if I could even reach 1% of the dads in their area I would easily have a full class every time I ran it.

If I'm totally honest, I am nervous about my first session. What if I forget everything I've learned or give the dads the wrong information..? I guess it comes from knowing that I have the potential to massively change their, and their partners' birth experience.

When I think of it that way is when I get nervous so I'm trying to think of it just as me imparting information and advice to expectant fathers with a view to helping them better support their new families. That sounds much less intense and that's how I'd like to think my classes wil run: relaxed and informative.

So, wish me luck in this new venture as I try to help dads become the birth partners that mums want and need. 

Thanks for reading

January Update!

I really must try to blog more often. I just struggle to find the time to do it. When I'm home I want to spend all my time with V and LC and when I'm at work, well, I'm at work!

So, Christmas and new year have been and gone. We had a lovely time and did our best to keep LC entertained with her new toys. Obviously she had no idea what time of year it was but I'd like to think she had fun.

We've moved on to weaning now; LC is 5 months old but watches V like a hawk when she eats porridge and is putting everything she can in her mouth.

We made a bulk batch of blended produce on Friday night (finished early Saturday morning as it took a while to figure out consistency of the purees).We cooked, blended and froze: Carrot, apple, pear, sweet potato and butternut squash.

On Saturday we gave LC her very first try of a puree, choosing the carrot option. Lets just say she prefers her milk to carrot!!! Lucky we bought some extra wide bibs for her as there was more carrot down her front than in her mouth - mummy and daddy need to practice their aim!

Sunday we decided to gve her a taste of baby rice. This went down much better than the carrot, Iguess as the taste was familiar and she just had to deal with the texture difference. Good work LC, you did very well :)

Yesterday, V gave LC some banana porridge, again made with her normal milk. She loved this but not as much as V!!!

Today, I'm told, LC will be trying out a mashed baby weetabix. As it's with her own milk again we're hoping for good things but I'll let you know!

These steps in her life make me sad to be at work while she is developing. I'd love to sit and watch her all day, every day. She is moving on so quickly - we even have the very first signs of crawling now - and I don't want to miss any of it.

Things are progressing well with my DaddyNatal training. I only have one more 'face to face' course to go and some coursework before my portfolio can be submitted for full FEDANT recognition.

I really can't wait to get going now. I attended one of Dean's classes before LC was born so I know the difference that the teaching can make to dads and consequently mums and babies.

It's just baby steps at the moment but I'd love to get DaddyNatal known in and around my area to the level where it is almost the norm for dads to attend it. It would also be amazing if I could take it to a level where I could give up my job and use it as a sole income. Don't get me wrong, money wasn't even a consideration when I chose to train as an antenatal educator, but it would free up my time to watch LC grow and develop rather than sit at my desk and wish I was home.

Anyway, I've blatheredon quite enough for one blog. I'll let you go now but I promise to blog more often from now on.

Have a great day and make the most of the time you spend with your children :)

A New Venture!

As many of my Twitter followers will know already, I have enrolled in the DaddyNatal training programme to become an Antenatal Educator.

Dean over at DaddyNatal helped me through LC's birth and was always there when I needed advice and information. His passion for fathers being more involved is contagious and something I truly believe in.

I'll be covering London and Kent for DaddyNatal once trained and I hope that I can be at least half as helpful to other fathers to be as Dean was for me.