Watch My New Video to Learn More About With Care

It's hard to believe that this summer marks 5 years of running my business. Throughout the last 5 years I have been honoured to educate and support over a thousand local families. In addition to teaching classes and workshops, my goal for the next phase of my business is to bring my educational and inspirational content online to a wider audience. I made this video with Anchor Studio to give everyone an idea of what they can expect from my YouTube Channel and Blog. I would love if you would watch and subscribe to my channel.

Please feel free to send along any topics you would like covered. I have some amazing collaborations coming up this summer and fall, so stay tuned for lots of new content and some incredible giveaways! I appreciate all of the incredible support from the families I have worked with and can't wait to see where this new journey takes me.

- Care xo

P.S. If you're on Instagram I would love it if you could give me a follow.

Introducing With Care - Education & Inspiration From Pregnancy Through Parenthood (Formerly Fifty-Seven)

I'm so excited to announce the official arrival of With Care - Education & Inspiration from Pregnancy Through Parenthood.

Some of you might have noticed changes on my social media and website over the last few months as I was getting ready to launch With Care. Little hints that something new and exciting was coming. As you can imagine things don't happen quickly with several munchkins in tow, so thanks for your patience. 

For the last few years I have been running my classes and workshops through my business Fifty-Seven, and recently moved my blog to With Care. Although I felt like I had built up a community brand with Fifty-Seven, I felt a pull toward something else. Offering all of my Classes & Workshops, Community Events, Amazing Partnerships, Blog Posts and Videos in one place seemed like a dream. Well, I finally decided to do the work and make that dream a reality. After a long and gruelling rebrand I'm so happy with how everything has come together. One of my favourite parts is my logo, which was created by tracing my mom's handwriting. I love having a little piece of her with me on this journey. 

So what is With Care? Living a life With Care means choosing products and services wisely, with the earth and your family's health and wellness in mind. It means becoming educated and informed so you can make choices that work for your individual family. It means creating a home and life that makes your family thrive. I'm here to provide a little education & inspiration to help you do that. 

I would love if you would take a minute check out With Care and follow me on social media - Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest. I have lots of amazing Giveaways, informative posts and videos, as well as amazing classes and workshops coming up this spring and summer. You can also stay up to date by signing up for my newsletter. As always feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or topics you would like covered, or if you need any assistance registering for classes or booking a private in-home session. 

I want to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to my community. Thanks to all of the amazing families and businesses that I have worked with over the last 4 years. I can't wait to see where the next 4 take me.

I hope you enjoy what's to come With Care. 

Warmly,

Care xo

*I'd also like to send a huge Thank You to everyone who has made this project possible. My amazing friend Laurence, my cousin Sarah who made my logo, Danielle for my beautiful promotonal materials, and 2 of my favourite photographers Silvia (Anchor Studios - Pregnancy & Outdoor Photos) & Carrie (Four Bees - Newborn Photos) for these beautiful images.

Everything You Need to Know About When to Start Solids With Baby

I get a ton of questions from parents in my community and online about when to start solids with baby. Starting Solids can be a very daunting task for parents and can be accompanied by a lot of self doubt and worry. Parents often fear they might not be doing what is nutritionally best, or safest, for their baby. In my Starting Solids Workshops I always like to remind parents that babies around the world start complimentary foods in many different ways, and that there is no one perfect way. In my classes I focus on encouraging parents to start solids when their baby is developmentally ready, to choose safe healthy foods, and to provide opportunities for their baby to feed themselves (aka baby led feeding/weaning). 

In recent years Health Canada and The Canadian Pediatric Society have changed their position on when it's best to start solids. The recommendation currently focusses on breastmilk or formula as the best food for baby for the first 6 months, and to start solids for healthy low risk babies around 6 months old. Of course there is no exact perfect time for every baby, so some babies will be a little before and some a little after 6 months, depending on their development. In babies who are at high risk of allergies (those with a diagnosed egg allergy or severe eczema) research is indicating it might be beneficial to start high allergen foods (eggs, nut butters, soy etc) sometime between 4-6 months (Learn More about the Newest Allergy Guidelines). The research is always changing, so don't feel guilty if you did it differently with your baby. 

I always remind parents that rather than focusing on your baby's exact age, it's essential to ensure that they are developmentally ready for solids, so we don't increase their risk of choking. Here are some of the things that we always look for when considering if a baby is ready for solids.

• Has baby lost their tongue thrust?

• Does baby have strong head and neck control?

• Can baby turn their head to the side to decline unwanted food?

• Can baby sit upright in a high chair or booster keeping their airway and food passage open, without slumping?

• Can baby bring objects to their mouth? e.g. toys

• Does Baby show an interest in your food and eating?

If the answer is yes to all of these, and your baby is approximately 6 months old, than it's probably time to start thinking about starting solids. 

A common question I get asked is "Should we start solids early to help baby sleep longer stretches at night?" Although this sounds like a good idea as it would keep baby fuller longer, it can actually backfire and cause more night time wakings if baby's digestive system isn't ready. It's also important to remember that night time wakings in infants are normal, and are tied to their rapidly developing brain. Parents are always free to make a decision to start solids earlier or later if that is what works for their baby and their family, but being informed is essential. Remember, you know your baby best.

Now that you know what signs to look for you can keep an eye on your babe and start solids when they're good and ready. Stay tuned for my next post in this series focusing on How to Safely Start Solids with Your Baby. I'll discuss both Baby Led Feeding (Baby Led Weaning) & Spoon Feeding, so you can do what works best for you and your baby. 

Please feel free to send along any questions or comments you have, and don't hesitate to ask for topics you would like me to cover in the future. 

- Care 

*Please speak to your physician if your baby was preterm or has special health concerns. This post is not intended to override any advice or recommendations provided by your health care team.

Welcome to the Neighbourhood West End Mamas!

Photo Credit Jade Beall Photography

I'm so excited to welcome West End Mamas to our Bloor West Neighbourhood! This total wellness centre for motherhood was created by Sarah Mickeler, a neighbourhood mom and incredibly skilled Chiropractor. After almost 15 years of working with clients solely on fertility, pregnancy and postnatal issues, Sarah decided to create a space that focuses on supporting the whole journey of motherhood. 

West End Mamas officially opened their doors today, and will provide a wide variety of Wellness Services including: Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy, Registered Massage Therapy, Acupuncture, Lactation & Breastfeeding Support, Psychotherapy & Counselling, Naturopathic Medicine, Nutrition Services, Doula Services, and Parenting Coaching. You can find out more details about their Fertility, Pregnancy & Postpartum services online.

In addition to this incredible line up of services, West End Mamas will be hosting amazing educational workshops, wellness classes and community meetups in their bright studio space. I'm very honoured to be working with West End Mamas and offering some of my programs including: Infant/Family CPR & Safety Workshops, Starting Solids Workshops, Parent Prep Classes, FREE Babywearing Meetups, and FREE Breastfeeding Cafes. Space is extremely limited for these programs, so please don't wait to Register. 

As a Midwife and neighbourhood Mom of 3, I firmly believe that we need more spaces like this for hopeful, expectant and new families. Bringing together skilled clinicians and amazing educators means that families don't have to travel around this huge city to find the services, education and support they need. When I began Fifty-Seven I imagined it as a space like this, but my business took me in a different direction. I soon decided to focus on my own personal offerings via teaching, consulting, writing and speaking, but was always sad that there wasn't a space like this for my clients, friends, family and neighbours. Needless to say I am very happy that Sarah has come in to fill this huge void in our community. I know that West End Mamas will be a incredible source of support for local families.

Check out West End Mamas gorgeous website to learn more, and drop by some time to see their beautiful space in the heart of Bloor West (2477 Bloor St W, 2nd Floor). If you have any questions about services or programs offered please don't hesitate to Contact West End Mamas.

- Care