Breast is Best or Fed is Best? Our journey from hungry baby to happy toddler

Infant feeding has been on my mind a lot lately as I've been working with the NHS to provide a patient story about our experiences. With many friends and family expecting babies in the coming months, I've been thinking about how we view infant feeding as a society and the pressure and prejudices surrounding feeding choices. We had a challenging feeding journey, moving from feeling committed to breastfeeding, through a…

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How to enjoy going on holiday with your toddler when you’re parenting with spoons

We have recently returned from a brilliant holiday in the Lake District with our 19 month old. As parents with long term conditions, going on holiday has an extra level of challenge. Packing takes place over several days, loading the car up is exhausting and the drive can be uncomfortable. But once we were there, it was so lovely. Taking a week off together to spend as a family was…

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The ND/NT partnership: how I parent alongside my neurodivergent husband

Parenting is complicated, no matter your family set-up, but when one parent is neurotypical and one is neurodivergent, there's an extra layer of complexity. Most of my reading online has suggested to me that ND/NT partnerships just don't tend to work in the long run, because we fundamentally cannot understand how the other person thinks. Add a child into the mix and there's an extra strain, since relationship satisfaction can decrease…

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The beginner’s guide to reusable nappies

If you're expecting a baby or have a young baby already, you may be thinking about using reusable nappies. It can feel intimidating making this decision. There are a lot of misconceptions around using cloth nappies and finding everything you need to know in one place is challenging. Perhaps if you're parenting with spoons (living with a long term condition) you're wondering if it's manageable. I am a spoonie parent who…

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Parenting with endometriosis: why we need to talk more

Being a parent of a young child and suffering with endometriosis can be a challenge. The pain, the fatigue, the symptoms no one talks about... without adding a toddler into the mix, they can be really tough. In honour of Endometriosis Awareness Month (or Endometriosis Action Month), here is my endo story, as a parent to an 18 month-old. I'll touch on diagnosis, fertility, surgery and everyday life with this debilitating…

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Sleep like a baby: preparing a safe sleep space for your newborn

There are so many choices when it comes to your baby's sleep space. Bedside crib, cot, Moses basket, co-sleeping. This was one of the areas that took the greatest mental toll on me when preparing for our baby. I just didn't know what was right, what was safe and how to get what we needed for our budget. When you're parenting with spoons, the last thing you need is extra head-scratching…

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Read more about the article Ten low spoon activities to spend time with your toddler
Photo by Calum Lewis on Unsplash

Ten low spoon activities to spend time with your toddler

Much of the time, your toddler will have many more spoons than you do. They have boundless energy and so much enthusiasm. The day gets longer as they get older, with fewer naps for respite. Instead of getting two or three periods of downtime a day, you may be down to one or even none at all. Filling the days can be such a challenge. I'm often torn between finding the…

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Read more about the article Baby driving: buying a car seat for your new baby or toddler
Photo by Zac Harris on Unsplash

Baby driving: buying a car seat for your new baby or toddler

Car seats can be totally confusing and it's not hard to see why. There are so many different types and so much advertising trying to convince you you're getting the right one.The reality is that car seat buying comes down to three main factors:1. Budget. You can only buy what you can afford.2. Safety. You will need to decide what your personal views are, within the boundaries of what is…

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Read more about the article Toddlering with spoons: a day in my life with an almost 18 month old
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Toddlering with spoons: a day in my life with an almost 18 month old

My days with my 18 month-old toddler vary hugely. Weekend days are entirely different to nursery days and they are different to days at home in the week. But even within the same day there is variance. Is she poorly? Am I? Have we got appointments to get to? Is it raining?So much affects the day to day, and this makes it hard to plan and prepare ahead, which has…

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Read more about the article Prams, pushchairs and buggies: the spoonie buying guide
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Prams, pushchairs and buggies: the spoonie buying guide

As a parent living with long term health conditions - when pain and tiredness are involved - how you transport your baby from place to place matters. I will write at a later date about car seats, which are a minefield in themselves, and slings and carriers. Today, I'm looking at prams, pushchairs and buggies (which may all be different names for the same thing). We were seriously guided by…

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